Challenge, Purpose, & Joy

We have each been given just one life. Even though it doesn't always feel like it, we have complete freedom to choose what we do with it. 

Why on Earth would we choose to spend our one, precious life:

• working on something that feels fundamentally unimportant to us?

• doing boring tasks that seem unending?

• with people who don't value what we bring or who treat us badly? 

To use our one life well, we need to spend it doing things that challenge us, bring us purpose, and invite joy. 

Challenge. There are problems to solve, relationships to work through, and ideas share. Challenge is hard. Challenge sometimes hurts. Challenge has the potential to drain us, then fill us up again. Challenge promises nothing, but delivers big. 

Purpose. There is great motivation in believing that if we vanished tomorrow, someone would notice and would seek out the perspective, love, message, or creativity we bring to our every day work. Purpose is what keeps us going when we're in the painful part of the challenge. 

Joy. We must do what brings us joy. Joy isn't the crazy-(fake)-manic feeling that we accidentally chase. Joy sneaks around the corner and smiles in small moments. Joy wiggles in between the challenges, silently reminding us of our purpose. Joy holds our hand when we struggle, and shows us quick glimpses of what's to come. Joy guides us. 

The incredible thing about our one life is that no one else gets to define what brings us challenge, purpose and joy. That's our choice.

We also get to decide whether we walk with challenge, purpose, and joy at all. 

(But why wouldn't we?)