Behavior of the Week: Do Each Thing for a Purpose

To close out the first five, we have a particularly difficult behavior to master but for those who try, the rewards are numerous and long lasting.

What does it even mean to do each thing for a purpose? An important distinction is between knowing the purpose behind a specific action and living a “purposeful” life. While living a purposeful life is a great goal, it can be hard to identify what this means and the results may not become evident until much later. Instead, start by focusing on the habits and behaviors you regularly do.

PerfectCoaches invites you to ask yourself why you do the things you do. It can be fun, but also instructive, to try the thought experiment of conversing with an inner accountant who asks pointed questions about what might seem to be wastes of your time, energy, and money.

For each thing you did today, did you ask if the rewards it brought for you and others were worth the time and energy invested? Develop the habit of asking yourself this question and you will be well on your way to mastering this habit.

Ultimately, it is impossible to do everything for a purpose. Some actions are done out of instinct or impulse. However, we are all capable of taking a moment, before or after something has taken place, to ask ourselves why we are doing it. Go ahead and try it this week, the answers may surprise you.