The moment you begin

A meaningful goal that has not yet been reached can actually be more valuable than a goal that has already been reached.

Do you ever work crossword puzzles? If so, would you buy a book of crossword puzzles if all the puzzles in the book had already been filled in? Of course not. The whole point of the puzzle is to work it. In exactly the same way, the whole point of any goal is to work it. The fulfillment comes not from having reached the goal. The fulfillment comes from the experience of working to reach the goal.

When you read a good novel, at what point do you begin to enjoy it? If the author has done a good job, you begin to enjoy the book in the first few pages. As you read more, your enjoyment grows. If it’s really good, as you near the end you’ll find yourself wishing it was a little bit longer. And when you finish reading the last page, you find yourself wondering what you could read next.

So how does that translate into real life? What does it have to do with experiencing fulfillment?

Here’s the crucial thing to realize. Fulfillment begins the moment you begin. Simply start moving in a positive, meaningful direction and you start to experience fulfillment. You do not need to struggle against yourself to attain something outside yourself. Instead, you are free and empowered to truly be yourself.

There is a purpose that defines you. Live true to that purpose, and you bring unstoppable power and persistence to your actions. There is a purpose that fulfills you. Find and understand that purpose, and you will achieve great and meaningful things. There is a purpose that is you. But how do you uncover that purpose? Learn to let go of all the things that ultimately have no lasting meaning. Choose to look at life and to see what you know, rather than what others tell you that you should see. Look beyond the fleeting, superficial concerns of fame, fortune and fashion. Focus instead on building real and timeless qualities such as value, wisdom and love. Seek that which is real, that which has substance, and the purpose that is your own will become abundantly clear. Stay connected to that purpose, and experience fulfillment in its power.

Fulfillment is not a matter of doing more or getting more. It is a matter of authentically focusing who you are, what you have and the actions you are already taking. Though you will surely cross through formidable challenges in the course of your life, fulfillment is not a struggle. Rather, it is a unique and magnificent expression that receives its nourishment from those very challenges. Fulfillment brings the ineffable treasures inside of you to the surface and beyond, where they manifest as great value. Fulfillment is a medium through which you intimately interact with all of life, strengthening the presence of joy in the process. The fulfillment connected with your most profound desires is always present in your life. By your continual thankfulness for what is, you allow and enable the fulfillment of what can be.