"If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

In Lewis Carroll’s childhood classic, Through the Looking-Glass, one of Alice’s misadventures in Wonderland is with the Red Queen who  takes her on a wild run through the countryside. But no matter how fast  Alice runs she can’t seem to get anywhere. Finally, breathless from her efforts, the Queen allows her to rest long enough for Alice to comment that “Everything is just as it was!” to which the Queen replies,  “…Here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the  same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

Lewis Carroll wrote Through the Looking-Glass in 1871 — 140 years ago.  Would you say in that almost century-and-a-half the pace of life has sped up or slowed down?  Of course, my point is that the velocity of life has continued to speed up to the point that many people are caught in a “not-enough-time tornado”– truly a vicious circle.

Alice’s plight points to one of the favorite weapons the Inherited Purpose uses to maintain its control over so many people’s lives…maybe even yours.  I’m taking off the kids gloves in this article and declaring war against the Inherited Purpose.  Oh sure, we can eventually make friends with the Inherited Purpose, but first it’s important to uncover it for what it is and how much it controls our lives. Sometimes we have to wrestle it to the ground until it says “Uncle” and then, once we have its attention, we can start peaceful negotiations.

You see, a favorite ‘weapon of mass destruction” of the Inherited Purpose is massive overwhelm and frenetic busyness. It uses this weapon to sabotage, undermine and control many people’s lives by keeping them too busy to really get in touch with their true self — their Divinely Inspired Life Purpose Self.

In fact, most people who could benefit from this article — who really “need” to hear this message — won’t ever read it. Why?  Because they’re too damn busy! They’re running as fast as they can just to stay in the same place, and what keeps them stuck in this mad whirlwind of a life is thinking that the way out is “to run at least twice as fast as that.”

It’s insane, isn’t it?  It’s a classic case of “doing the same thing over and over while expecting different results.”

Is Your Accelerator Stuck to the Floor?

I was watching a strange animated movie the other night entitled A Scanner Darkly. In one scene three of the main characters are driving down a four lane highway when the car’s accelerator gets stuck to the floor.  The car starts speeding down the highway passing other cars and trucks as the driver frantically tries to avoid hitting them, but of course, as the car continues to accelerate it gets harder and harder to stay on the road without slamming into something.

Sound familiar?  Does that feel anything like what’s happening in your life right now? Are you maybe spinning just a few too many plates in your life right now? What do you think has your pedal stuck to the floor?  Try this on — the fear, lack-based thinking and endless struggle that leads to so much unnecessary suffering — what I refer to as the Inherited Purpose.

Maybe it’s time to do what they did in the movie.  Turn off the ignition switch!

Now, relax. I’m not suggesting you ‘pull the plug’ on your life. I am recommending you make a very conscious commitment to significantly slow down and simplify.

“But I can’t do that!” you say. “If I stop what I’m doing…well, all hell with break out.  I’ll lose my job, they’ll take my home away, I’ll be destitute and out on the street in no time. No I have to keep running as fast as I can just to stay where I am.  And maybe, just maybe I can find some way to run just a little bit faster so I can finally get ahead.”

And meanwhile the scenery called the rest of life passes you by at an every faster speed as you come closer and closer to a major accident like:

• a heart attack or other physical breakdown,
• massive emotional overwhelm leading to burnout,
• a mental collapse,
• alienation from your loved ones

Or some other major “traffic accidents” that comes from massive overwhelm and frenetic busyness.

Okay, maybe completely turning off the ignition switch isn’t the answer, although for some people, it probably is and you know who you are. But from what I’ve observed, most people could really improve the quality of their lives by easing their foot off the accelerator a bit, and carving out some quality time to work on your life rather than being run over by it.

How about you? What would easing off the gas pedal look like in your life? What if you let go of the fear, lack-based thinking and struggle of the Inherited Purpose, even just a little bit at a time, and then a little more, and a little more?

All of this is offered in the spirit of being of service. Watch out Inherited Purpose. I’m gunning for you.

Now It’s Your Turn

What were the primary “nugget of gold insights” you gleaned from this article? Please share them below along with any actions (or inaction) you could take to integrate the insight into your life. Remember:

Insight   +    Action    =    Growth & Development

Just use the comment area below. Ready, set, go.

Additional Resources for Living On Purpose

If you’re ready to get started slowing down and simplifying, here’s a great coaching distinction that has made a tremendous difference in my own life when I first learned it and then applied it. It’s the difference between working on your life and working in your life (which often results in being run over by your life). Read more about it here.

A Road Map for Living On Purpose

If you’re wondering what this all has to do with living on purpose and how knowing your life purpose with crystal clarity can help you escape this ‘weapon of mass destruction’ learn more here about the Life On Purpose Virtual Video Coach — an easy, economical and effective way to bring clarity of purpose to your life.

One Other Resource: Transforming Overwhelm: Joyfully Experiencing the Fullness of Life (A Life On Purpose Special Report)

Over the past 16-plus years of working with hundreds of people as their Life On Purpose Coach, co-founder of Life On Purpose Institute, Dr. W. Bradford Swift noticed a couple serious “off purpose” patterns that popped up on a regular basis to block people from living the full joy of a life on purpose. One of those patterns is becoming overwhelmed by the circumstances of their lives. Transforming Overwhelm, part of the Life On Purpose Special Report Series, is ‘straight talk’ and powerful coaching on how to move beyond this block.

Got Kindle? Order the Kindle Edition.