Why I Gave Up on the Purpose-Driven Life
I quit. That’s right. I gave up on the purpose-driven life. Please read on before writing me off as a heretic.Chances are good that you have a copy of Rick Warren’s bestselling book, The Purpose Driven Life. You may have even read it. I remember reading it shortly after it was first published in 2002. Even now, I still recall wondering what was wrong with me because I didn’t get as excited about it as many of my friends did.Don’t get me wrong. This is in no way a personal attack on Rick Warren, nor should it be construed as such.While I’ve never met Rick, I like, admire, and respect him. Greatly.He’s extremely affable and very down-to-earth. I admire how he has used his influence and affluence (his words) as a catalyst for to mobilize church, community, and business leaders to compassionate responses on sensitive issues like AIDS, depression, and suicide.I respect the way he has handled the fame and fortune that came with writing a mega-best seller like The Purpose-Driven Life. Instead of living a lavish lifestyle, he continues living a modest one and has given away massive amounts of money to worthy causes.I only hope to manage fame and fortune as well as he has should it ever come my way.Perhaps what I am most grateful for is how The Purpose Driven Life shone a spotlight on the power of purpose and prompted millions of people to ponder the purpose for their lives.If you know me, you know that I am a huge proponent of purpose. As a matter of fact, the focus of my work in this season of life is encouraging and equipping people to higher purpose living and leading.So what’s your beef, Kevin? And why in the world would you give up on a purpose-driven life?Great question! And let me assure you it has nothing to do with the purpose part and everything to do with the driven part.For most of my life, I’ve been driven by one thing or another.Early on it was escaping bad experiences at a church. At other times, it was fear, success, money, achievement, or recognition that were driving me.If you must be driven, then purpose is one of the better drivers you can have in life. It certainly beats all of those listed above.
But what if there is an option to living any kind of driven life?I think there is. Actually, it’s been a bit of an epiphany for me over the past two weeks.I’ve summarized it in with a new four-word mantra: More Led, Less Driven.You can explore my first foray into the More Led, Less Driven life and how I’m approaching life differently in a guest post I wrote for my friend and mentor Ray Edwards.While I’ve given up on the purpose-driven life, I haven’t given up on either purpose or life. I’m just done being driven. I’m trading in my purpose-driven life for one led by higher purpose.Will you join me?