L ife is short. This point is emphasized in the classic movie Friday Night Lights. Coach Gary Gaines tells his team of struggling high school football players: “Being perfect is not about that scoreboard out there. It’s not about winning. It’s about you and your relationship with yourself, your family, and your friends. Being perfect is about being able to look your friends in the eye and know that you didn’t let them down because you told them the truth. And that truth is you did everything you could. There wasn’t one more thing you could’ve done. Can you live in that moment as best you can, with clear eyes, and love in your heart, with joy in your heart? If you can do that gentleman—you’re perfect!” Theologian Howard Thurman once said, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Carpe Diem! Sieze the day! Make your life extraordinary! As you do this, remember, life is a mission, not a career. A career is a profession. A mission is a cause. A career asks, “What’s in it for me?” A mission asks, “How can I make a difference?” Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mission was to ensure civil rights for all people, no matter their race. Gandhi’s mission was to liberate 300 million oppressed Indian citizens. Mother Teresa’s mission was to clothe the naked and feed the hungry.
These are extreme examples. You don’t have to change the world to have a mission. As educator Maren Mouritsen says, “Most of us will never do great things. But we can do small things in a great way.”
COMING ATTRACTIONS You’ve heard of willpower. But have you ever heard of won’t power? That’s up next!