The Meaning of Life

-by Matt Leedham

If you’re reading this, it tells me something about you. At the very least, you have an interest in the topic. At the most, you are eagerly searching for meaning in your life and are hoping to find some glimpse of hope in here.

I’m sorry to report that I cannot tell you what the meaning of life is. I’ve asked a lot of people what the meaning of life is, or what their purpose for existing is, and I’ve gotten a lot of answers. Many people don’t even bother to ask the question because the answer seems so distant or complex.

I’ve heard:

• “To make the world a better place.”
• “To love others.”
• “To excel at what you do.”
• “To not be a jerk.” (Another variation: “To live in harmony.”)

I believe I have discovered my purpose, or are at least far down the right path. What about you?

What’s the meaning of life? What’s your purpose?

Leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts.

Why We Launched A Triathlon Training Program

-by Matt Leedham

One of my core values is “Purpose & Meaning.” I have defined that in 3 ways for myself: analyze activities and goals for meaning; strive to live my life for something big, and; help others discover their purpose. Essentially, knowing why I chose to do something, and doing it with intention, is very important to me. Time is limited, and I have so much to get done, so I need to be very critical with what I choose to spend my time on.

When the opportunity presented itself to create this Triathlon Training Program, we didn’t jump at it right away. We reflected on it, asked some hard questions and really thought about whether or not this had purpose and meaning for both Velocity as a whole, and for us personally.

As you can tell by our excitement in launching the program yesterday, our conclusion was that it was a great fit. And here’s why:

1. Walk the Walk – Jaime and I have been writing and teaching about personal achievement for some time. We’ve shared a lot of personal stories, successes, and failures. We encourage people to be great and live up to their potential. And we’ve received a lot of wonderful feedback from those that are inspired by what we write and those that have attended our live workshops. Well, now is the time to lead the charge and take action. We’ve been talking the talk and now it’s time to walk the walk. We started this program based on the passionate belief that regardless of current weight, fitness level, or physical ailments, anyone can compete in and complete a triathlon. Join us!
   
   
2. Common Denominator – The more we talk to people the more we realize two things. First, we are all so amazingly different, complex and yet simple. We perceive the world in a way that only we can – uniquely based our experiences. However, in spite of our varied perspectives, almost all of us seem to have one goal in common. I have yet to talk to someone where health or healthy living was not a priority. Whether or not we are actually living a healthy lifestyle, we all seem to want it. We all want to be faster, stronger, thinner, sexier, more energized, and more vibrant. We believe this program will answer the call for many of you. It certainly will for us!
   
   
3. Adult Recess – We are all guilty of taking ourselves too seriously sometimes (or not seriously enough). We can get into habits, routines, and ruts. We get distracted by “life” and all of a sudden our commitments pile up and we forget about one very important thing – ourselves. This program is designed to be fun! It’s opportunity to get outside, get active, and get healthy. Nothing feels better than the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. So get off the couch and come join us! Make some time in your life to invest in yourself. Spring is around the corner and we’re going to go have some fun!

I will leave you with this final thought. You may not be able to join us in our Triathlon Training Program for many reasons. You may not live in the area, you may have insecurities about your athleticism*, or you may not have the resources to join us. Whatever the reason may be, don’t stop here. Get out there, get active, and get healthy. You’ll thank yourself for it. And so will everyone around you that you inspire.

*please email us at answers@velocitygoals.com about your concerns - this program was created to include anyone, regardless of fitness level.

An Argument for Core Values

-by Matt Leedham

Of all the topics we cover in our introductory goal setting course, one subject seems to get the most attention. Most of our alumni tell me that using core values to frame goal setting is incredibly powerful.

So, for those of you still not living your life in honor of your core values, let me tell you why you’re missing out. Uncovering your personal core values will help you do the following:

1. Increase Your Sense of Meaning. Core values provide a sense of knowing something greater than your wants and desires. They really get at your needs. Since core values describe your foundation – your guiding principles – they give you a calm sense of meaning and belonging. As much as they describe your uniqueness, they help you understand your role within the world by showing you and others how you can uniquely contribute.
2. Make Better Decisions. Whether you know it or not, you make over 1,000 decisions a day. If it sounds like a lot, it is. What most people don’t understand is that our core values determine many of those decisions. To volunteer or spend time with the family? Both worthy of your time. Core values can you help you prioritize the most important things in your life.
3. Make Better Choices. I view decisions as more reactionary, whereas choices are something you can be proactive about. For example, goal setting is a choice. And your core values are a critical piece of that. There are a million positive paths to choose from – which one will you take and why? Core values are the answer.
4. Increase Your Confidence. This is my favorite part. This is by far the most satisfying piece of having well defined core values. The confidence I have in every decision and choice I make is empowering. When I make a decision based on my core values, I believe with all of my heart that it is the right one, and that feels good. To live your life with intention and purpose is very liberating.
5. Communicate Better. Because your decisions are made with more conviction, your ability to communicate to others is heightened. It becomes very easy to inform others of your decisions and choices because you clearly know why you chose that path or made that decision. Others will see your confident choices and will clearly understand your intent.

Choose to live with intention. Choose to live with purpose. Adopt your core values and own them. Live by them and share them freely. They will guide you down the right path.