What I was 15 years old, I was suicidal...
My family was about to fall apart, my personal life was a mess, and I didn't have any close friends to talk with...
Months went by, and I couldn't take it any more...
I made a plan, and the day came. I went into my room and turned up the radio to block out any noise.
I'll never forget the song that played. "Meant to Live" by Switchfoot, with a chorus that goes...
"We were meant to live for so much more. Have we lost ourselves? We were meant to live."
My skin went cold and I couldn't move, tears welling up.
For the next two hours, I couldn't stop crying.
That one song gave me hope. A few months later, I decided to join a band, with the mission to create songs for those who felt alone. To write music that impacted people's lives, the way "Meant to Live" impacted mine.
Now, you can bet I gave my all to the music I played. Why?
Because I found it meaningful. I wasn't just playing drums and writing songs. I was helping people through the darkest times in their lives.
How do you create meaning?
1.
Identify Your Mission
Take a step back, look at your life and say, "Where do I want to go? What is the legacy that I want to leave? What do I want my life to look like when I am 60? When I'm 80? If I make to 100, what do I want my life to look like? What do I want to leave for other people? What is that legacy?
2.
Find Your Mission, in the Present
Once you identify your mission, you can look at where you are presently and ask, "What can I do here today to help me achieve that tomorrow? What can I do here today to help me get to where I want to be tomorrow?"
