Inner and Outer Purpose.

YOUR INNER AND OUTER PURPOSE

Your journey has an outer purpose and an inner purpose. The outer
purpose is to arrive at your goal destination - to accomplish what you
desire, to achieve what you want, which of course, implies the future.

But if your destination or the steps you are going to take in the future
take up so much of your attention that they become more important than
the steps you are taking now, then you completely miss the inner
journey's purpose. Your inner journey's purpose has nothing to do with
WHERE you are going or WHAT you are doing, but everything to do
with the now. It has nothing to do with the future.

If you don't understand your inner purpose you will fail at your outer
purpose. Keep in mind that the outer purpose is just a game that you
may continue to play because you enjoy it. And often you may fail, but
so what.

Ultimately EVERY outer purpose is doomed to "fail" sooner or later
because it is subject to the law of impermanence of all things.

The sooner you realize your outer purpose cannot give you lasting
fulfillment the better. When you have seen the limitations of your outer
purpose you can give up the unrealistic expectation that it can make you
happy. More importantly, you make it subservient to your inner purpose.

Have your dwelling place in the NOW and pay brief visits to your past
and future when required. Always say "yes" to the present moment.
Surrender to what is and see how life suddenly starts working for you
instead against you.

The key is to LIVE in the present moment, but know that you are
creating your future in this moment. What you are looking for is balance
in your thinking. In other words, living in the present moment while
giving thought to something you desire and expecting it.

-Dr Robert Anthony