Mission driven or purpose driven?

What are you? What do you think you are? And why does it matter?

I’ve messed up a lot over the years. I’ve been incongruent, destructive, and a waster.

Let me share with you, in the hope it shows you who I am, and how you can make a change too.

Take a look at my life from the outside 10 years or so ago and you would have seen a ‘successful’, and some called me an inspirational’ young man. This always made me feel so awkward because if they knew the truth, what would they really say?

I was thriving in practice, serving hundreds per week, I was on the board for a national association, and travelled the world to speak inside and outside of Chiropractic.

I looked in shape, abundant, and happy.

But truth be told, I was living a lie. I was not thinking right, eating clean, or doing what I was preaching. Grinding my body and my relationships to the bone. Earning a lot of money and spending it on vices on the same weekend. Nothing saved and nothing personal in my life.

So what changed?

A very scary diagnosis. Pre cancer in my bowel. You may have heard this story before, but alas God has a way of making you stop, and ask the right questions. You could say God (or the universe) slapped me in the face.

I was living a Mission driven life. 

Always striving for recognition, accolades, money, and respect.

At what cost? The cost of my health, the cost of a cover up, the cost of living a lie. Skating on fragile ice to look good.

Is this you? Are you focused on mission alone? Do you find yourself often asking why or is there more to life?

This is your chance to pivot, to change, to reconsider your why.

Purpose driven. This is aiming for the impact you wish to have, the wave you want to create, the legacy you will leave, and ultimately what your existence and contribution will mean to others.

A chiropractic career around mission is fun, granted. But it’s shallow. When you hit the numbers, then what?

A life or chiropractic on purpose is one worth living and a well lived.

So what’s your purpose? Are you here to help others, change the lives of individuals and collectively your community? Are you here to help make the world a better place, to leave this life with something to show?

You see if we can all do this. If we can all ignite around our purpose, chiropractic will change the world.

So this week I ask you, what’s it all for? How do you wish to be remembered?

With love

Tom