Mission: Purposeful

I went to my first Minnesota Twins game at Target Field last week.  I used to go to a handful of games each summer at the Dome, and attended one Twins game at Kansas City, but as yet had not made the effort (or financial sacrifice) to go see a game at Target Field.  I worked pretty hard to avoid going to this game, too; my sisters wanted our families to go to a game together and I immediately came up with several reasons why it wouldn't work.  Then, wouldn't you know, my youngest sister starts quoting a blog I wrote about some class I took this summer that taught me to get into new situations and enjoy them.  Dang it.

Blogging has been a more powerful endeavor than I anticipated.  Writing requires thought - even my light "blogs about nothing" are carefully crafted one phrase or word at a time - which makes blogging a nice mental exercise.  Beyond the act of writing, though, is the development of ideas to write about.  It's one thing to have a thought and just throw some words onto a screen; taking an idea, an inspiration, a theory, and twisting it around to view it from several perspectives before choosing the perfect words to convey the meaning developed through such deliberation uses several variations of creative thinking at the same time.  Sort of like a crossfit workout for the brain.  A benefit of blogging I didn't anticipate, however, was revealed during the Twins game debate.

I hoped people would enjoy reading my blog.  I hoped I could occasionally make people think a little deeper about this or that.  I hoped I could strengthen my own deep thinking.  All have come true.  An added bonus to this blogging experience has been the accountability I've been forced to face - I've had to live up to my words.  When my sister threw my "can't get out of it, so get into it" statement at me I realized that if I'm going to write it, I need to live it.  Which is why I chose to write what you're about to read on this day - I need you to help hold me to it.

One of my five big takeaways from the class I attended and blogged about was the importance of creating a mission statement and leading a purpose driven life.  I've been thinking about that over the summer, wanting to have something in place before the start of another school year but not wanting to create a mission in haste.  I present to you now, dear reader, a version of my mission statement that has been, is, and will remain under construction until I feel my personal growth and development is complete (which will more than likely occur on the day of my funeral):

I am a father - my daughters deserve my time, my love, and the best version of myself.
I am a teacher - my students need my knowledge, my expectations, and my care.
I am a leader - my teammates need my vision, my humor, my shoulder, and my listening ear.
I am a human - I need space, solitude, and serenity.
I will improve the world for someone every day.  I will find a balance between time for others and time for me.  I will smile more and laugh louder.  I will keep each day positive by using my power of choice.  I will leave the past and the future where they belong.

Now, the challenge.  Can I accept this mission?  Accomplish this mission?  I've chosen some personally challenging tasks - the smiling and the past/future, for instance - that are easy to write but if they were so easy to do they probably wouldn't have to be in a mission statement.  I'm going to need some help with this.  I know some of my work teammates are reading this, I know at least one daughter and one sister are reading (and probably laughing hysterically)...if you've read it, will you make me live it?  That Twins game I didn't want to go to was a lot of fun, but it took someone else to remind me that I was going to be open to having more fun (thanks, Sis).  Asking for help is not a strength of mine....probably need to put that in the mission, too....but asking I am.  Will you help me complete my mission?

Take some time and think about your own purpose, your own mission.  What is it that you are looking for in life, and how will you achieve it?  What do you want to become, be known for, be good at?  Life gets so full and hectic that we can easily become a drifter in its currents; a purpose, a mission, swings at least some of the control over our lives back to us.  Stop drifting and start living - find your purpose.