"It's not about you."

I remember reading these 1st 4 words in Chapter One of Rick Warren's best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life." I remember pausing and having this short discussion with myself that went something like, "Wait a moment, if it is not about ME, then who on the planet could it possibly be about?"

Now, I would like to assume that I used to be rather less full of myself when I read this book in 2002 than I used to be in my previous years. I had experienced my fair piece of personal and professional struggles, hurt, and brokenness. I assumed I had at least encountered sufficient trials and checks to establish the universe did not rotate around me any longer. But these 4 words certainly hit me right smack dab in the center of someplace. That "someplace" ended up being a enjoyable place.

You see, the actual question meant for most of us is, "What on earth are we here for?" I can't answer that question for you personally, but I would submit that we're either here for a great reason or we're here just for the heck of it. Assuming we are here for some superior reason than a chance accident, the following rational inquiry becomes, "What's our purpose?"

I want to take the liberty to encourage you with the recognition that our lives epitomize a purpose far larger than our individual personal pleasure, delight, or happiness. To quote the book, "The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That's because we typically begin at the wrong starting point - ourselves. We ask self-centered questions like what do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my dreams for my future? But focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life's purpose."

We're here to serve.

we are all writing chapters of our life stories -- both good and bad. Our actions determine the end result of every chapter inside the book. But our book is also concerning other people.

The insurance commerce delivers us with an outstanding platform to serve. When we peel back the sheets, we realize that literally everything we seek to accomplish is exactly associated to serving somebody. We serve our potential customer, and we finish up with a client. We serve our potential new Agent, and we finish up with another member of our family. We serve the Agencies we epitomize, and we wind up nurturing the health and life of our work atmosphere. The Corporation serves the field force, and we end up with a field force who strives to look after the welfare and profitability of the Company. Every solitary dollar of new business income generated as annualized life premium results from someone SERVING someone else.

we are here to influence and encourage.

John Maxwell is right on point when he says that we won't believe in the leader if we do not believe in the message. Winning firms work on what I refer to as the Law of Attraction. People end up being part of an institute because they believe in it and the message they hear and see. They end up with the wish to desire what those in the Business have and believe if they partner with them they can get what they want. Our task is to live out our life of influence and inspiration in such a way that we prove HOW to be profitable, and encourage them with the drive to be ready to do what it takes to get in place to win.

The more we realize, believe, and accept that it is not about us, the more we will discover ourselves blessed beyond our wildest imaginations. That's just the way it works.

Stay Strong! Lead On!