Finding Our Purpose: Igniting Life with the Energy of Adrenaline
I love the band DED’s song, “Purpose: Be myself.” The title is so awesome. As the song says; “I feel my purpose calling; Lift me off the ground; I just wanna be my-; Self assured and I’m not coming down; I just wanna be myself.” It is so powerful to think of that feeling of our purpose calling us. Our purpose is such a very personal thing. If we are living our purpose, we can truly be ourselves.
The other lines in the lyrics of this song that really jumped out at me were “Live in adrenaline; Inside adrenaline; Become adrenaline.” To me, these lines convey a sense of embracing intense emotions and energy. “Adrenaline” here symbolizes feelings of excitement, passion, and a desire to feel alive. Living and being inside adrenaline suggest fully immersing ourselves in these powerful sensations, pushing beyond comfort zones. Ultimately, “become adrenaline” could mean embodying that energy as a core part of ourself—living authentically with intensity and vigor. In other words: living our purpose. This song really inspires us to embrace our inner strength and passion so we can truly “be ourself.”
Gaining True Understanding
In a recent blog post, Our Internal State Shapes Our Future Experiences, inspired by George MacDonald‘s Lilith, I discussed how our beliefs, character, and moral strength serve to be the primary shapers of our future experiences. And how external events are secondary; what truly affects us is how we respond internally. In that post I quoted Mr. Vane, the protagonist in Lilith, as having said, “That which is within a man, not that which lies beyond his vision, is the main factor in what is about to befall him: the operation upon him is the event.” In that same paragraph, Mr. Vane went on to say, “Foreseeing is not understanding, else surely the prophecy latent in man would come oftener to the surface,” which relates to my earlier post highlighting internal influence and personal responsibility by emphasizing that merely predicting or foreseeing events doesn’t equate to true comprehension or mastery over them.
In other words, just knowing or anticipating what might happen isn’t enough; true understanding—an internal, moral, and intellectual clarity—is necessary for actual insight and meaningful action. If we truly understood ourselves and our inner capabilities, our innate prophetic potential—an intuition or deeper awareness—would manifest more frequently.
This aligns with the notion that inner growth and moral character are vital: by cultivating understanding within ourselves, we can better influence our experiences and perhaps even realize our own prophetic insights more often. It’s a call to go beyond superficial anticipation toward genuine understanding and inner development.
Learning From The Leadership of Nero
Having just recently returned from spending a week working in Montana, I couldn’t help getting caught up watching a few episodes of Paramount’s Yellowstone marathon this past Labor Day weekend. In one of the episodes I was able to catch, Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) asked Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) if she remembered the fiddle playing Roman Emperor, Nero. She did, and Rip then stated he was worried the Dutton’s were headed down that route, particularly with John Dutton just having become governor of Montana in the show. Of course, this caused me to do some research on Nero.
Nero was known as a notorious Roman emperor who symbolized corruption, cruelty, lavishness, and the destructive potential of absolute power. Rip was using the analogy of Nero to express his worries that if the Dutton family lost their values, unity, and sense of morality—becoming self-centered or oppressive—they risked descending into similar behavior. Rip’s concern was that without careful stewardship, the family might become corrupt, undermine their integrity, and ultimately harm themselves and their legacy, much like Nero’s reign led to chaos and ruin.
From my study Nero’s reign, we are reminded of the importance of humility, integrity, and foresight. Absolute power can be seductive, but it also carries the risk of corruption if not checked by strong moral principles and accountability. Leaders should prioritize humility, listen to diverse perspectives, and remain vigilant against becoming self-centered or despotic. Maintaining a clear sense of purpose, fostering unity, and upholding ethical values help ensure that power is used responsibly, ultimately sustaining trust and legacy rather than risking downfall through arrogance or neglect of moral responsibilities.
Our Internal State Shapes Our Future Experiences
In George MacDonald‘s Lilith, he emphasized the importance of inner qualities and personal development over external circumstances. In the book, the character Mr. Vane says, “That which is within a man, not that which lies beyond his vision, is the main factor in what is about to befall him: the operation upon him is the event.” At that moment in the book, MacDonald wants to highlight for us that our internal state—our beliefs, character, and moral strength—primarily shapes our future experiences. The phrase at the end of the sentence, “the operation upon him is the event,” suggested that external events are secondary; what truly affects us is how we respond internally.
Mr. Vane’s takeaway from this in the context of the story was the understanding that, regardless of external circumstances, our true power lies in how we manage our own internal state. Mr. Vane was recognizing that cultivating a positive mindset, virtues, and inner resilience can help us navigate challenges more effectively. Essentially, Mr Vane learned that by focusing on his internal operation—his thoughts and moral character—he could influence his experience of life’s events rather than being solely at the mercy of external factors. This realization models for us personal responsibility and the importance of inner growth as key to overcoming difficulties and achieving a sense of fulfillment.
The Path of Consistency and Trust
Every year when we put a group of cows or heifers out in our different pastures I am always amazed at how they will make paths in different parts of the pasture back to the barn, water, or area where we feed them, depending on the pasture. In the featured photo of this post I have highlighted a trail that cows close to freshening (calving) made from the woods into the main pasture leading to one of our barns. Every spring the groups make a new path; continuously taking the same route back to shelter or water. The cows find the most desirable terrain and continuously take exact same route to get there. This got me to pondering whether there was a leadership lesson in there somewhere.
Cattle always using the same trail can serve as a powerful leadership metaphor. Just as cattle repeatedly follow the same trail, effective leaders often establish clear, consistent guidelines, processes, and routines. Followers trust the path because it’s familiar and proven, which fosters stability and confidence. It emphasizes the importance of creating a dependable direction that others can rely on, encouraging continuity and collective progress.
While establishing clear guidelines and routines can promote stability, one thing to beware of is that over-reliance on them might lead to rigidity or resistance to change. If leaders become too focused on maintaining established routines, they may overlook the need for innovation or adaptiveness in response to new challenges. This can result in stagnation or an inability to respond effectively to evolving circumstances.
Love And Understanding
Through my work at the Marion E. Wade Center I have become a huge fan of George MacDonald. His work had a big influence on C. S. Lewis. I am finding his work to influence me both professionally and spiritually. Right now I and reading and studying George MacDonald’s Lilith: A Romance.
MacDonald’s quote in the book, “to understand is not more wonderful than to love,” reflected a deep philosophical and spiritual insight. Essentially, MacDonald suggested that love has a higher, more profound value than mere understanding. At first I struggle with this, because I am such a believer in seeking to understand others, particularly from a leadership standpoint. Then, however, as I dug deeper into the context and really reflected I came to appreciate that while understanding involves intellect and knowledge—comprehending concepts, facts, or situations—love goes beyond the intellectual. It embodies compassion, connection, and a kind of wisdom that recognizes the intrinsic worth of others.
In the context of Lilith, this statement emphasized that true greatness or wonder lies not just in grasping ideas or truths, but in the capacity to love genuinely and unconditionally. Love can transform and elevate our experience of life, opening us up to deeper meaning and connection that understanding alone may not fully achieve. Therefore, MacDonald elevated love to a more divine or extraordinary realm, suggesting it holds a greater potential for fulfillment and wonder than simply understanding.
Our Portable Assets: Skills and Reputation
Something I believe is important for young people and adults alike to understand is that our skills and reputation are portable assets. These qualities are valuable resources we carry with us across different situations, careers, or environments.
Skills are like tools in our personal toolkit—they can be applied in various roles or industries, making us adaptable and versatile. Our reputation, which is built on trust, credibility, and how others perceive us, can also follow us from one job or community to another, often opening doors and creating opportunities.
We must remember and make sure that our students and young adults understand that both skills and reputation are assets that aren’t tied to a specific place or time; they can be transferred and utilized wherever we go, helping us succeed and grow regardless of the particular circumstances.
Relaxing When Effort Serves No Purpose
When I was in Montana a couple of weeks ago I spent some time in the areas where John Liver-Eating Johnson, born John Jeremiah Garrison Johnston, lived in central Montana. Also, a local Montana person recommended that I read the book, Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson by Raymond Thorp and Robert Bunker. The book is absolutely incredible and very hard to put down.
As with any book, I am finding things to think deeper about. In the book, when discussing Johnson’s ability to relax, Thorp and Bunker described the liver-eater in this way: “Johnson could always relax when there was no purpose in effort.” Thorp’s statement suggested that Johnson was adept at distinguishing between situations where effort was necessary and those where it wasn’t. When there was no clear goal or necessity, he could truly relax and be at ease, rather than feeling compelled to keep busy or exert constant effort.
From Johnson’s example, we can learn the importance of recognizing when our efforts are genuinely needed and when they might be unnecessary or counterproductive. His ability to relax when effort served no purpose highlights the value of mental discernment—knowing when to act and when to let go. Developing this awareness can help us avoid unnecessary stress, cultivate genuine relaxation, and conserve our energy for moments that truly matter. In essence, Johnson’s calmness in appropriate moments teaches us the power of mindful relaxation and the importance of discerning effort from ease.
Hurried or Impatient?
I am reading Artemis by Andy Weir right now. He is such an incredible author and this one might be one of my favorites of his work. This is about a colony, Artemis, started on the moon. The protagonist, Jasmine “Jazz” Bashara, is a citizen of Artemis who works as delivery woman and also smuggles goods to survive in the expensive city. I don’t want to give away the plot because you need to read the book. But for the context of this post, Jazz is carrying out a rebellion to save the city. Her dad, Ammar Bashara, does not approve of her rebellion but still helps her with a welding project that is needed to be carried out. Ammar is a Muslim who works as a highly skilled welder in Artemis. He taught Jazz to weld and was talking her through a project as she was welding.
At one point Ammar said to Jazz, “You’re not in any hurry, just impatient.” This caused me to pause and to think about how many times this happens to us. We get in a hurry even though we don’t need to be; we are just impatient. When we feel hurried due to impatience, it often stems from internal feelings like frustration, anxiety, or a lack of trust in the process. Even if our outward behavior suggests we believe there’s no rush, our internal state might be pushing us to act hurriedly.
This disconnect can lead to unnecessary stress and may even affect our interactions or decision-making. In the context of Artemis, Jazz’s dad recognized this and was worried about her ability to make perfect welds because she was hurrying and did not need to hurry; she had plenty of time. Recognizing this helps us understand that patience isn’t just about external actions but also about managing our internal responses.
To address this, we can focus on mindfulness techniques—such as deep breathing or pausing before reacting—to help slow down internal impulses. Cultivating awareness of these feelings allows us to consciously choose patience over impatience, leading to more peaceful and effective outcomes.
Reflecting: Embracing Our Inner Battles
Those who know me know I am a very reflective person. The great band Melrose Avenue has a great song “Reflections.” This song really resonates with me. It has a dark side but there are so many things we can learn from the lyrics. The song encourages us to recognize how our actions affect ourselves and others, promoting introspection. This song highlights that feelings like regret or denial are natural parts of the human experience, reminding us to be compassionate with ourselves. Facing inner struggles can lead to greater self-understanding and personal development.
The line “I can’t see what I’ve done” really jumped out at me. Many times we are unaware or unable to recognize the impact of our actions, possibly because we are overwhelmed, in denial, or emotionally numbed. It reflects a struggle to understand oneself or take responsibility, highlighting feelings of remorse, regret, or self-doubt. This line captures the difficulty at times of confronting our past or the consequences of our choices, adding depth to the song’s themes of introspection and inner conflict.
Here is a breakdown of a few other lines from the song that resonated with me:
- “Now I’m fighting for the hope of second chances” speaks to our yearning for redemption or a fresh start, hoping to fix past mistakes or circumstances.
- “But I don’t think I’m gonna make it in time” reflects doubt or a sense of urgency, feeling that it might be too late to change or alter the outcome.
- “Do I change my ways? Do I keep them the same?” is an internal conflict we all face at times about whether to pursue transformation or stick with familiar habits.
- “Should I save it for another day?” indicates the hesitation, contemplating delaying decisions or actions to a more suitable time. This reminded me of the times when we ask things like, “Is the timing right?” Or say, “This is not the right time.”
- “All I see when I look at my reflection / Is the animal that lives inside” reveals a darker self-awareness, recognizing primal or instinctual aspects within — perhaps anger, fear, or other raw emotions.
These lyrics can inspire us to be more honest with ourselves, embrace our imperfections, and use our experiences as opportunities for growth.
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