Inspiration comes in many forms. I often find my inspiration in nature, in my boys’ laughter, my wife’s smile. Sometimes I find it in boardrooms and meetings, on Skype calls or, in this case, in Scottsdale, Arizona. I was there to deliver a speech at Yelp’s offices and due to the time change and an extra early morning, I found myself watching the movie, Unbroken.
I can’t say it was high on my list of films to catch when I had the chance (with three small boys, it’s nearly impossible to set aside a couple of hours for a movie starring anyone other than SpongeBob). So I’m watching this movie about the life story of Louis Zamperini and the line that strikes me and just won’t let go is this: “A moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory.
Louis got me thinking about pain. I can’t say I have or will ever experience the pain, physical, mental or emotional, he went through in his lifetime. But Louis had a strong desired outcome, an Ultimate Goal: to remain unbroken in spirit. By keeping his mind focused on his DO, Louis survived. And he found in himself the strength to forgive his tormentors and live his glory.
You will get knocked down before making it. At the very least, you will endure losses, setbacks, things not going as planned. But when you have a desired outcome hardwired into your thoughts, you will endure. And you will survive to find the glory you seek.
I want each and every one of you to set a desired outcome for your life, an Ultimate Goal. One that will override or sustain all the other targets you set. When you’re deciding where you want your life to take you, you have to go deep. Here are a few questions that will help guide you when setting an Ultimate Goal:
- What meaning does this goal have?
- What purpose does this goal serve?
- Is it big enough? Is it worth the investment of your life?
We all want work we enjoy and a life that feeds our soul, grows our mind and expands our connection to the world around us. If you made a movie about your life would the moments of pain define you, or the moments of glory? Seek out those moments to rise above. Embrace moments of pain and let them wash through you, leaving behind smooth sand where you can create a glorious future. As hunters, we know that our targets, especially our Ultimate Goals, are completely worth a trip through fire.
