Mike Tyson said, “everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Such eloquence! What I think Uncle Mike is saying is that when push comes to shove we will respond from our emotions and ‘great (logical) plans’ go out the window.
How do we manage this?
Make your purpose good clear, simple and memorable so that when you get ‘punched in the face’ you never forget it and you won’t want to either because it fuels you, and guides you when there is nothing else left. It’s like the image of the firefighters – when there’s a fire, that needs to be put out, you focus on it and put all your energies into it.
With reference to being punched in the face, it’s not luckily much of a thing in my life and it has only happened a couple of times, mostly playing rugby, but once by my older brother administered a right hook, but then I was being an annoying little ****. Jokes aside, I don’t advocate fighting. I now see myself as a lover, not a fighter, unless I get punched in the face!
I have read many books and spent hours on the subject of purpose but nothing was more simple meaningful and impactful than this TED talk I saw by Adam Leipzig, called, ‘How to find your purpose in 5 minutes.’
Here are the questions, below, with one or two additions, and my answers for your interest.
Please send your answers to me by filling out the form, I’d love to see them and I think you will find this absurdly simple and useful.
Simply go through the steps and listen to his video and ask yourself what your purpose is at the end.
Here they are:
Who am I?
I have spent some time on this. It started out with just, ‘Si Ekin!’
- I am Simon Roger Ekin.
- Simon (but I prefer Si, because I feel good when I hear it, but not Simon, because it feels like I am in trouble!) Simon is from the Hebrew, meaning Listen, or hearing, and Greek, meaning ‘flat-nosed,’, which is interesting, because I was often referred to this growing up.
- Roger, which comes from a German spearsman.
- Ekin, like Nike Backwards, from the winged goddess of Victory, signifying speed, movement, power and motivation.
- It also means ‘harvest’ in Turkish, which I like, because it’s plentiful.
- So, I am a victorious, flat-nosed, harvesting, German Spearsman, who listens!
What do I love?
To converse. Hear and share stories. Engage. Learn. Connect. Have deep and meaningful conversations. Laugh. Cry. Feel. Be in nature.
What do I feel supremely qualified to teach others?
Encourage people to open up and share, talk, tell stories, take a risk, open up and listen.
What is that in one word?
I am a Storyteller.
Who do I do it for?
Men. So that women, children, and the world can benefit, flourish and feel safe, so that we can all work together.
What do they want or need?
Confidence, Self-belief, inner peace, calm. Arriving ‘home.’
How do they change as a result of what I give them?
They become more passionate, energetic, authentic, confident and humorous. (P.E.A.C.H.)
So, my purpose is: to help men become more passionate, energetic, authentic, confident and humorous. (PEACH.)
Many people ask me why I work with men. For two reasons. Firstly, so that women, children, and other men, can flourish, benefit and feel safe. Secondly, it’s just the way it has been; I seem to ‘attract’ many more men than women. The added benefit is that many women really get my message and think it would be good for ‘their men’ to work with me!
I’d love you to fill yours in here so I can see them: https://bit.ly/findyourpurposein5mins
What do you think? Useful exercise?
Mojestically yours,
Si.