I gave everything I had.

But this time, it wasn’t enough. My body hits the floor. My eyes close. Drained. Exhausted. Empty.

The injections. The stabbing abdominal pain. The anemia. The never-ending fever. The extreme fatigue. The uncertainty. The darkness. I’d been consumed.

I give up.

My body collapses, my head is bleeding, and I don’t have the strength to get up. Lying on the floor for hours, short of breath – for the first time, I feel nothing. Numb. Time is suspended in this tormenting moment.

My heart is pounding just writing this.

There didn’t seem to be a way out. Never an escape, not even for a moment. There are no days off with disease. There are exhausting days, there are isolated days, and there are excruciating days.

I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. That’s not why I’m writing this. The last thing I want is anyone’s pity.

Life will hit us all, very, very hard, and often at the worst possible time. For some, it may come in the form of financial crisis, for others, it may come in the form of heartbreak. Some may experience it through loss, others may be battling trauma. In my case it’s disease.

I’m lying on the floor, feeling nothing. This is routine, I thought. This is my life. This is normal. I’d accepted it. I was reliving this moment more times than I can remember – like the same nightmare repeating itself over and over.

But with every nightmare, we eventually wake up.

Something came alive. Something inside me refused to accept this life anymore. I’d been allowing this disease to rob me of who I was and it made me furious. This isn’t how things were supposed to end up.

I didn’t care about the odds anymore. I didn’t care about what the doctors said. I made the decision to make a comeback and begin living my best life. But to me, it felt like overcoming this alone would be a waste…unless I could help others as well. Discovering this purpose gave me strength that disease couldn’t weaken.

It wasn’t about wishing for life to be the way it was before disease. It wasn’t about wishing for this experience to have had never happened. It was about making this challenge work for me rather than against me. It was about honoring the struggle and turning it to my advantage.

Look – I’m not special. I’m not some exception. I’m no different than the next guy. Anyone with a strong purpose can do this. And a strong purpose is about having a mission in your life. A mission gives you meaning. That mission is what you define it to be, and it continues to evolve throughout the years. But if there’s one thing certain, that mission always goes beyond self-gain.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose in life is to give it away.”

– Pablo Picasso

In any case, when we hit a low, it’s almost guaranteed we don’t feel much purpose in life. This begs the question, can you hit a low while still having a strong purpose in life? It’s unlikely. But this post isn’t just about overcoming a low point. Living through your purpose will not only turn a challenge to your advantage but will also transform a good life into an even better life. It’s The Path to real fulfillment and abundance.

I will have future posts specifically focused on how to discover your purpose. This is an intro post about why you need to live through your purpose.

Three things living through your purpose will do for you:

1. You cultivate real passion.

There’s enough fake passion out there. Fake passion chases surface level qualities – an obsession with appearances, a need for recognition, titles to feel important, money for self-indulgences – particularly ego-driven desires.

Fake passion is a high of excitement that seldom gets anything done. These people talk talk talk. At most, it may keep them “busy”, but not productive. Fake passion lacks discipline and is merely pleasure driven…self-driven.

When you’re living through your purpose, you dig deep into what really matters. You’re pursuing a mission that will have an impact on the lives of others. Honoring others, self-sacrifice, using your experiences for something beyond yourself.

Most people never reach the depths of real passion because they cannot get over themselves. It’s no coincidence that those same people set goals yet rarely have much success. When the days of feeling tired kick in, when the feelings of uncertainty begin, worry not – you’ll be anchored by real passion.

2. You ignite the human spirit.

“The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it.”

– C.C. Scott

The force that gives you a compelling incentive to fight when things take a turn for the worse. A source full of determination and righteous anger that can persevere anything. Not a self-created motivation, but an unquestionable fire within that gives you strength beyond any conscious explanation.

When our backs are against the wall, we do amazing things. We find tremendous strength, and summon unbreakable will. This all comes from igniting the human spirit.

The match to light this fire comes from your purpose. Your purpose is much stronger than “having a why.” A simple “why” is merely making up some reason on a hunch. A purpose is a compelling incentive already inside you. A purpose has leverage – the wellbeing of your family, helping people going through a similar struggle, serving others – stakes so high that cannot be let down.

When setbacks happen and adverse circumstances strike, you won’t be deterred by them. You’ll be fueled by them. Circumstances are no match for the human spirit. When the human spirit is ignited, circumstances quickly gets out of the way, as it has never defeated this force, and knows it never will.

3.  The Path.

Living through your purpose is not a singular feat you must reach for your life to be complete. Your purpose is more so, a way of living, which is what The Path is all about.

The Path is your call to adventure. It’s an undeniable urge to pursue something deep down that you know you should be committing to. It will scare you a little bit because it involves delving into the unknown. It’s unpredictable, but The Path is the only destination to complete fulfillment.

People lacking meaning in their life are not on The Path. They choose comfort, over courage. They complain. They rationalize excuses for why they shouldn’t do something. And this creates a slippery downward spiral that gains momentum fast.

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

– John A. Shedd

Someone on The Path has a full schedule but is never “busy.” They’re fulfilled. The person on The Path is dedicated to making every minute of every day count. The Path develops qualities in you: discipline, humility, delaying gratification, among much more. While being on The Path is not easy, it never comes with regret because you’re rewarded with living your best life.

Principle: Live through your purpose every day.

If you live through your purpose you will tap into the most powerful force inside you – the human spirit, giving you the strength to persevere through any obstacle. If you live through your purpose you will cultivate real passion, giving you the drive and dedication to reach any endeavor you set. And if you live through your purpose, you’ll be on The Path – the path to complete fulfillment, the only way to your best self, and your best life.

Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Chasing surface-level goals.
• Talking about your goals more than acting on them.
• Rationalizing excuses to avoid going outside your comfort zone.

Key Takeaways:

• Living through your purpose not only helps you overcome challenges but also turns a good life into an even better life.
• A strong purpose is about having a mission in your life that betters the lives of others.
• Being on The Path is not about one feat you must accomplish, but is a way of living.

Taking Action:

Take five minutes to reflect tonight. What is something you’re afraid of doing, but know you should do?

You know what to do next.