Don't Have to Work? How to Be Significant With Purpose and Promise

Billionaire Warren Buffett once said “a very rich person should leave his kids enough to do anything but not enough to do nothing.” Give your children enough to give them a good head start without robbing them of the opportunity to experience accomplishment, resilience through overcoming challenges and a life filled with a passionate purpose.

Living in Los Angeles I see adults – young and old – living lavishly in quiet desperation. The media is filled with stories about wealthy individuals from all parts of the world acting out and/or squandering resources of which most people dream.

Some of my affluent clients who don’t have an occupation come to me feeling a bit lost, insecure and unmotivated. Days are filled with shopping for their next ‘feel good’ acquisition. It works, for a bit, and then they out in search of another ‘hit’.

The more a person wanders without a meaningful direction the more he or she will feel disconnected from the rhythm of life. A sense of love, belonging and connection is fleeting. Instead of appreciating what one has one can feel tainted somehow because it was unearned.

This is a real problem that gets little or no empathy from the masses nor much of the affluent community. Those who suffer often stay silent because they, too, buy into the common mantra with all you have you should be happy. Unhappiness, then, becomes a fundamental flaw rather than a human ache.

Complaining, whining or stirring the toxic drama witnessed on many of the Real Housewives television shows becomes a woefully misguided way to feel better, more significant or “in the game of life”. Since what you bring to your life experience is what you get out of it, this negativity only adds insult to injury.

While money alone can’t buy a meaningful purpose, it can be a useful tool to create something of significance. There is a better way to leverage your good fortune. You can shift from financial success into significance by rediscovering your purpose, your WHY. I believe each person comes into this world with a meaningful purpose. Our job in life is to figure out what that is and have it fulfilled.

Ask yourself these soul searching questions:

What do I value most?

What is important to me? For what would I take a stand?

What have I done that rocked my world, gave me energy, made me feel really alive?

Your answers will give you insights into what you’re here to accomplish.

Your final question then is”

Who do I have to be today in order to fulfill my purpose?

Imagine that you’re mission is already accomplished. In order to bring that vision into reality what type of person would you need to be today? How would you show up to your life? What would you be doing? With whom? Where? How would I invest my time, energy and financial resources?

And then take a step in that direction. Then another one. Rinse and repeat.

The life you lead is the legacy you leave.