“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Today’s world is fast paced and stressful, so when we feel down and look to make ourselves happy we go for the quick fix- a bit of ‘retail therapy’, some chocolate or a cup of coffee, we feel better for a while, then the pressure returns and we wonder what it will take to be happy again.

“I will be happy when I’ve got that car/the house/the holiday I always dreamed of…. “,

But how often do we hear about the lottery winner who had everything they could ever dream of but were still unhappy?

In my work I ask everyone this question:

“What do you most want in life and what legacy do want to leave for others? “

I soon became interested to learn that everyone wants the same things – happiness, contentment, to have a positive impact on those close to them and to be remembered as someone who is contented, happy and supported others.

How do we find happiness?  When is it that we feel able to support others?

It is my belief that everyone needs a sense of purpose.

Rick Hoyt was born with cerebral palsy in 1962. Doctors told his parents to institutionalize him because he would be nothing more than a “vegetable,” but they knew better. They saw the way his eyes would follow what was going on and that gave them hope that he could one day communicate. Sure enough, with the help of a computer, one day he did. From there Rick went on to graduate from both high school and college.

But what’s really amazing about Rick Hoyt is his unique relationship with his father, Dick. Rick had always loved sports, but due to his physical limitations he had a tough time finding a sport in which he could participate. Then, one day Rick read an article about running in a magazine that gave him an idea: what if his dad ran and pushed him in a wheelchair?

They gave it a shot and the rest was history. Since then, the two have competed in 1,032 endurance events, including a whopping 68 marathons and (perhaps even more impressively) 6 iron man triathlons.

Father Dick Hoyt—who is obviously a natural athlete given that he is able to compete so well into his 60s—says he never really had the competitive spirit on his own. But when his son Rick said to him, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped”—that gave him all the motivation he needed.

Find your purpose and you will find achievement.

Remember a time when you found achievement; notice the emotions you experienced, the way you thought and how you saw the world and people around you.

Your purpose will be directly related to your beliefs and values; your own moral code.  Take time today to write down your beliefs and values for life and then give them order of importance, notice how this changes how you think.

Have you heard the expression,

“Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination”?

Start your journey today and see what you discover, enjoy the challenges as they will give you purpose along the route

Debbie Hill