{"id":33,"date":"2012-07-12T18:50:35","date_gmt":"2012-07-12T18:50:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/movingforwardwithvalorieburton\/?p=33"},"modified":"2012-07-12T18:50:35","modified_gmt":"2012-07-12T18:50:35","slug":"how-is-someones-life-better-because-they-crossed-your-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/movingforwardwithvalorieburton\/2012\/07\/12\/how-is-someones-life-better-because-they-crossed-your-path\/","title":{"rendered":"How is someone\u2019s life better because they crossed your path?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Why are you here?\u00a0 I don\u2019t mean why are you here reading this message right now.\u00a0 Instead, why are you here on this planet at this time, born into the family you were born into, with your unique gifts and talents, with your experiences?\u00a0 There is indeed a reason you are here.\u00a0 It\u2019s your purpose.\u00a0 Some call it your mission.\u00a0 We all have one.\u00a0 Our job is to discover what it is and live it.\u00a0 When you get to the end of your life, don\u2019t you want to be able to say, \u201cMission accomplished\u201d?\u00a0 It is a sad state of affairs when our mission is fuzzy.\u00a0 We feel a little lost, even if to the rest of the world it looks like we know exactly where we are going.\u00a0 I remember winning honors and awards in my previous career field, yet feeling a deep dissatisfaction with my work.\u00a0 Because I was good at my profession, the people around me assumed I was happy and purposeful.\u00a0 But deep down, I knew something was off.\u00a0 Life can have all the external accolades of success, but if there is no purpose to what you are accomplishing, you\u2019ll feel a black hole \u2013 an empty place in your soul that wants true fulfillment.\u00a0 That true fulfillment comes from knowing you are living on purpose.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One day, while coaching a client who was struggling to articulate her life\u2019s mission, a question just rolled off my tongue:\u00a0 How is someone\u2019s life better when they cross your path?\u00a0 She immediately began describing her mission, \u201cWell, I am a bridge builder who connects people, ideas and resources so a person\u2019s life is better because I help them make the right connection.\u201d\u00a0 Just like that.\u00a0 Crystal clear. She articulated her purpose.\u00a0 Over the years, this powerful question has helped many people get crystal clear.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Without a lot of introspection and pondering, answer this question from your gut:\u00a0 How is someone\u2019s life better when they cross your path?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We are all here for a reason \u2013 leaving the world in some way better than it would otherwise have been without us.\u00a0 The fun part is that we get to accomplish that mission using our own uniqueness \u2013 our gifts, strengths, passion and experiences.\u00a0 While you are likely not the only person in the world with your particular mission, you are the only one who can accomplish it the way you can.\u00a0 There are people God has uniquely equipped you to impact. They connect with you. They are around you. They are impacted by you.\u00a0 I\u2019m not the only author whose mission is inspiring women to live fulfilling lives, but for some reason right now, something caused you and me to connect.\u00a0 So with you, in this moment, I get to live out my mission.\u00a0 Who will you connect and live out your purpose with today?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>My challenge to you:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Articulate your purpose in one simple sentence.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Coach Yourself:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>How is someone\u2019s life better because they crossed your path?\u00a0 In what way(s) are you living out your purpose right now?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Until next time\u2026<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/330\/2012\/05\/val-signature.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.beliefnet.com\/sites\/330\/2012\/05\/val-signature.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"83\" height=\"45\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Valorie Burton is an author of seven books, including her\u00a0\u00a0 latest,\u00a0 Successful Women Think Differently. She is founder of the\u00a0 Coaching\u00a0 and Positive\u00a0 <a id=\"_GPLITA_0\" title=\"Powered by Text-Enhance\" href=\"#\">Psychology<\/a>\u00a0 (CaPP) Institute and a regular contributor for\u00a0 CNN\u2019s Reclaim Your\u00a0\u00a0 Career segment. Subscribe to her free e-newsletter at <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.valorieburton.com\"><strong><em>www.valorieburton.com<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why are you here?\u00a0 I don\u2019t mean why are you here reading this message right now.\u00a0 Instead, why are you here on this planet at this time, born into the family you were born into, with your unique gifts and talents, with your experiences?\u00a0 There is indeed a reason you are here.\u00a0 It\u2019s your purpose.\u00a0&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":497,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How is someone\u2019s life better because they crossed your path? 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