to read
Practical examples of how to apply what he was saying, Change the world by helping others helps define ones purpose This was a GREAT book, maybe a little bit scattered in the basic approach and message, but very inspiring! It teaches the importance of living with a purpose.
When that purpose is to help others not only will you be so much happier, but you will also be able to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others and the world.
The author teaches the three levels of thinking:
, The firstlevel of thinking focuses on asking, “How am I How do I feel”
, The secondlevel of thinking focuses on asking, “How do others see me”
, The thirdlevel of thinking focuses on asking, “How do others see themselves What are their most important goals”
As we commit to helping others accomplish their goals and be successful we will be happy and be able to accomplish a lot of good ourselves.
Some of the other important points include:
Tune in to what other people care about the most
Dont be afraid to fail
Focus on the war, not winning all the battles
Fight for what you love, not against what you hate
Know the real thing when you see it
Think critically about yourself
Without relationships with others nothing else is possible!
Share every gain
Always build teams and look for shared commitments and shared interests
Pay attention to the people who matter most
For me a lot this comes down to being unselfish, caring about and loving others, and remembering your priorities.
Make relationships a priority. Know what you want to give and have a plan for helping others accomplish their goals,
“Behold, I do not give lectures or a little charity, When I give I give myself, ” Walt Whitman I found this book to be quite interesting however, it did not really improve my knowledge in this area, I like the way Peter S, Temes opens the book by exploring what he calls the three levels of thinking, The first level is totally egocentric in that we are only concerned on how things impact ourselves, The second level moves us a bit further from the center egocentrism to the outer edge by focusing on the perceptions of others regarding ourselves.
The last levelthe point where we want to reside infocus on others, In this level our ego is in check as the focus is on the other person, In the third level or phase, we are tuned into others and what they care about, we share every success, The key to having a purpose is to have the ability to be of benefit to others, It is truly in giving ourselves to others that we have our purpose, So, in essence, the secret of living a life of purpose is to make relationships a priority, This is a good read but requires the reader to have patience and to stick with it, a little bit repetitive, but worth the read, because the ideas are sound, I found this book very useful and insightful and posted a number of sections on FB to share the insights, The first half to/spoke more to me than the last pages, The basic
premise of the book is there are three levels of thinking
, getting past asking, "how am I how do I feel"
, getting past asking, "how do others see me"
, arriving at the most important questions, "how do others see themselves what are their most important goals
The commitment statement that leads to success: "I can help others"
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I chanced upon this book at the downtown Portland library,
Temes uses personal and professional examples and references the writings of famous philosophers and poets, I liked thelevels of questions and how we need to strive for levelquestions: How do others look to themselves How can I help others become the people they want to be
I love his outward view of success which reminds me of a scripture: To find yourself you have to lose yourself in the service of others.
I think my favorite section is the one on Aristotle: to find happiness you have to strive to be a better person, If everyone lived this way, we would live in a much better world,
When it came to the business examples, I had a harder time relating since I am not a business person, I enjoyed how he ended with stories and his wishes for his children who already seem to be following in his and his wife's positive examples.
The Power of Purpose begins with a simple but remarkable statement: “The more you focus on helping others, the more you will succeed in reaching your own goals.
” Peter S. Temes builds on this fundamental insight to share a simple plan for living with the truest and most enduring kind of happiness,
At the heart of The Power of Purpose are the “three levels of thinking, ” At the first level, we ask, Who am I and What do I want At the second level, we ask, Who do other people think I am How do I look to them But the real magic happens when we hit the third level, forgetting about ourselves and asking the questions that lend a powerful sense of purpose to our lives: How do others look to themselves How can I help others become the people they want to be
To help us along the way, Temes, who teaches humanities at Columbia University, draws on the wisdom of great thinkers including Aristotle, Søren Kierkegaard, and Abraham Lincoln the life lessons of great achievers ranging from Mother Teresa to Michael Jordan and home truths hes gathered from his parents, his grandparents, and his three children.
From all these sources and from his own life of great personal accomplishment, Temes identifies the essential knowledge that brings people happiness and success.
He cites Aristotles notion that happiness is not a psychological state but a moral one, resulting from doing good in the world, Temes also believes in the pivotal importance of trust and teambuilding in every area of life, from the family to the workplace to the street corner.
The Power of Purpose is a map for finding the confidence and power, the opportunities and occasions, andmost importantthe techniques and strategies for centering your relationships and work on helping others.
It is a book with a point of view: the clearest path to your own success and happiness lies in helping others get to where they want to go.
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