Find Your Purpose

Find Your Purpose

Have you seen the movie City Slickers, starring Billy Crystal as Mitch and Jack Palance as Curly? There is a section of significant dialogue in this hilarious comedy. Mitch has joined two other friends who come from the city to spend a couple of weeks driving a herd of cattle across the range on horseback. They all are experiencing midlife meltdowns in one form or another. These “city slickers” clearly have no idea what they are doing, and Curly, a shrewd cowboy, is their guide. As they are riding along the range, he gives Mitch some sage advice:

Curly: Yeah. You all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope, then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. Long pause. Do you know what the secret of life is?

Mitch: No, what?

Curly: This. Holds up an index finger.

Mitch: Your finger?

Curly: Shakes his head. One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean s***.

Mitch: That’s great, but what’s the one thing?

Curly: That’s what you’ve got to figure out.

Here are some questions to help you figure it out.

  • What is my passion?
  • What in my life has gone unattended or uncultivated?
  • What’s next?

What will my second half look like:

  • In my marriage (if married)?
  • In my relationships with my adult children?
  • In my vocation?
  • In my faith and faith community?
  • In my friendships and replenishing relationships?

And finally:

  • What do I need to give up to make progress?

 

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Jim Burns

Jim Burns is the president of HomeWord. He speaks to thousands of people around the world each year. He has close to 2 million resources in print in 20 languages. He primarily writes and speaks on the values of HomeWord, which are: Strong Marriages, Confident Parents, Empowered Kids, and Healthy Leaders. Some of his most popular books are: Confident Parenting, The Purity Code, Creating an Intimate Marriage, Closer, and Doing Life with Your Adult Children. Jim and his wife, Cathy, live in Southern California and have three grown daughters, Christy, Rebecca, and Heidi; three sons-in-law, Steve and Matt, and Andy; and three grandchildren, James, Charlotte and Huxley.

  • About HomeWord

    HomeWord helps families succeed by creating Biblical resources that build strong marriages, confident parents, empowered kids and healthy leaders. Founded by Jim Burns, HomeWord seeks to advance the work of God in the world by educating, equipping, and encouraging parents and churches. Learn More »

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    HomeWord is non-profit, donor supported ministry. If you would like to partner with HomeWord in our effort to help more parents and families you can make a donation. Your investment will allow us to expand this ministry by offering more resources to families and churches in need.

  • Contact Information

    • HomeWord
      PO Box 1600
      San Juan Capistrano, CA
      92693

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