To put it bluntly, you, the person reading these words right now had about a 1 in 400,000,000,000 chance of existing in your current form (being born). For more on that small concept, click here. If you look up the word “miracle” in Merriam-Webster, here is the definition you will retrieve: “an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment.” If you divide 1 by 400,000,000,000… you get essentially 0, your approximate chances of being here, on this earth, as a person. Therefore, by definition, you, me, and yes that annoying person who cut you off at that stop sign the other day and stared you down, are miracles.

And, regardless of your theological background, the unbelievable, mind-blowing phenomenon of existence is one of the most overlooked by our human selves. I mean, YOU WAKE UP EVERY DAY. YOU GET TO BREATH THE AIR, TO SEE THE SUN, TO TASTE FOOD. In my opinion, the lack of awareness of the common fact of our own mind-blowing existence, leads us to live humdrum lives that are not congruent with, or responsive to, our inner calling; that unexplainable drive we have for “something more” that motivates even our smallest and seemingly insignificant actions, decisions, and the overall energy with which we live our lives.

I believe that this inner calling always wins at some point in our lives. And, like it or not, we have the ability to control WHEN that is.

Without the awareness of the gravity of our situation and fact that we are so lucky to be alive, we begin to take it all for granted, to slip into the “just getting by” mode, or the “if I just have this, I will be happy” mode, or my personal favorite from working in higher education, “If I do A (get my degree in this), B (go to grad school for that), then C (get that job that will make me money) then I will be successful” mode.

Imagine how your life could be transformed if you woke up and thanked your alarm clock that you were 1 of 400,000,000,000 that got to breath the air that day.

Imagine how your relationships would change if you looked at others as “miracles”.

Imagine what the world’s economy and future leaders would look like if in every elementary school across the globe, students were first taught and made aware of the unbelievable prospect of existence, before they learned their ABCs.

In my opinion you (and your organization or community) are here for a reason, you have a purpose. How do we uncover, find, and live this purpose?

Moreover, how do we, as people, come to terms with justifying our existence in the world everyday through our lives? How does your life “speak” your purpose everyday?

One of the ways, I believe, our lives speak our purpose is what we do each day for a “living”; our vocations. How can we apply this to our jobs? Our organizations?

Imagine a world where every company or trade had a distinct and communicable understanding of their purpose in the WORLD?

Imagine the energy, the productivity, and the results.

This blog serves as an outlet for my observations, education, and work with this concept of purpose development as a higher education administrator and a leadership, team, and purpose development consultant.

I hope you enjoy exploring these concepts as much as I do!

– Zach