Purpose Derailed!
Derailed is the past tense of the verb derail, which Merriam-Webster defines as (a) to cause to run off the rails; (b) to obstruct the progress of and (c) to upset the stability or composure of. All three definitions may be used when describing how situations and circumstances can prevent us from achieving our purpose.
There are several things that can cause us to run off the rails. One could say that only occurs with trains, but we can easily be derailed. Anything that is allowed to distract us can derail our purpose. Distractions can come from both external sources and internal sources. External, in the form of people, things and situations and internal in the form of our feelings, attitude and behavior. We should always be ready to help or meet a need, but we need to exercise wisdom in all things. We are not the answer for everyone and there will be times when a ‘no’ is required. Self-control should always be exercised and we should govern ourselves in ways that do not cause us to self-sabotage.
Sometimes, the obstruction to progress can cause us to be derailed. Obstructions are things that block our path. These can be a reluctance or failure to develop and/or educate ourselves, a lack of money or funding and lack of information. There are many opportunities that can and will empower us and fuel our personal and professional growth. Knowledge acquisition is more easily accessible and open and available than it was a few short years ago and we should strive to take advantage of the resources available to us. There are also many sources of funding for different projects, through city, state and other public and private organizations, to help fund our dreams and visions, if required. Unfortunately, much goes unused because of a lack of information. We live in the age of information overload, but sometimes individuals still suffer in this area. If we choose to step out of our comfort zones, communicate, ask questions and read, we would see a vast improvement in our outcomes.
Sadly, life has a way of throwing some curveballs which, if we allow them, will not only slow us down but can literally pull the rug out from under us or shake us at the very core of our being. These occurrences can destabilize us, cause us to lose our composure and, if we are not careful, our very minds. Some of these life-changing occurrences are beyond our control. Death, divorce, illness, natural disasters, loss of employment, are just some of the life altering occurrences we can encounter. Despite these occurrences, we can still achieve our purpose. It just takes determination, zeal, and faith. According to Jimmy Dean, we may not be able to change the direction of the wind, but we can always adjust our sails to allow us to reach our destination. We may be derailed, but we can always get back on track. Purpose only dies if/when we keep it buried and take it with us when we go.
We were all created for a purpose and even though we are not everyone’s answer, we are someone’s answer or the solution to a situation. Therefore, we need to find and walk in our purpose. Remember, messes can become messages; seemingly dire situations can become motivators, and even personal losses can be used to help others overcome. It is all determined by the lens through which we choose to see and the perspective we choose to see from. Life happens and will keep happening with or without us. How we approach it will depend solely on us. Our primary focus should be engaging in the things and maintaining a mindset that propels us towards our purpose. Will we be purpose driven or situation driven? The choice is ours. I pray we choose wisely.