Brandon Steiner – Living on Purpose – book excerpt

The way we move through life truly comes down to our perspective. I knew my job going forward was to change my perspective in many areas. I had to approach my life the same way I approached making money. I needed to start living my life for a living. 

If you want to be extraordinary in all areas of your life, including family, fitness, faith, and fortune, it starts with purpose and the right perspective. 

I cringe when I read a book or hear a speaker claiming this process begins with passion. You hear it all the time: “You gotta have passion!” “Find your passion!” 

I was stuck on that idea for a long time, and all it got me was frustration. I eventually realized that I was chasing the wrong thing. Passion is hard to find because it’s not the natural starting point of your journey to extraordinary achievement. If you’re looking for a train, you’re better off looking for a train station. If you need food, go to the supermarket. 

If you want to find your passion, start with a purpose. Passion is not the initiator. It is the byproduct of finding your purpose and then being committed to pursuing it. 

Remember this formula: Purpose + Commitment = Passion.
I started to think about my journey to extraordinary achievement like a tree. The roots are my purpose, in that they help me stay anchored.

Commitment is the trunk of the tree, growing little by little every day as it stretches skyward toward the sun. The branches that grow off that trunk represent my passion, and the fruit or leaves are traits like creativity, clarity, focus, determination, diligence, and thoughtfulness that are ignited by my passion. (Note to the young ones who are reading this: sorry, there are no apps or shortcuts for these extraordinary traits. You’ve got to earn them.)

I had been chasing passion and, to some degree, coming up empty. Now I knew I’d been chasing the wrong thing. I had to begin pursuing purpose and passion would follow.

Living on Purpose, by Brandon Steiner. Copyright © 2019 by Brandon Steiner.

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