Read below for a brief overview of Built Through Courage<\/em> to get the main ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Do you ever feel stuck\u2014like you\u2019re just going through the motions instead of doing something really meaningful? Have you recently experienced upheaval in your life, and you don\u2019t know what to do now? In Built Through Courage<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Dave Hollis offers a solution to these common problems. According to Hollis, the key to living a happy and fulfilled life<\/a> is achieving your unique purpose\u2014a specific role you\u2019re meant to fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dave Hollis (1975-2023) worked as a Disney executive for 17 years before changing careers<\/a> to become a motivational speaker, CEO, and self-help author. While Hollis\u2019s position at Disney is considered a dream job<\/a> by many, he felt trapped and unfulfilled because he wasn\u2019t living according to his ideals and goals\u2014he wasn\u2019t achieving his purpose. Recognizing his purpose motivated him to change careers and helped him find happiness and fulfillment despite major life upheavals, including a divorce<\/a>. Hollis hoped his book could help other people achieve their purposes and find happiness and fulfillment too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Purpose is a driving force that motivates and inspires you,<\/strong> guiding you throughout your life. Hollis explains that every person has specific talents and unique experiences. These talents and experiences are gifts, and every person has a responsibility to share their gifts with others: This is your purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hollis says his purpose comes from God, who created him to fulfill a specific role and gave him the talents and experiences necessary to achieve this purpose. However, he stresses that religious or spiritual beliefs aren\u2019t necessary to accept this idea of purpose. It doesn\u2019t matter where your purpose comes from, so long as you recognize that you have one and strive to achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this section, we\u2019ll discuss why achieving your purpose is important and how to identify your purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to recognize and work toward your purpose because doing so is the key to a happy and fulfilled life, <\/strong>Hollis says. When you recognize your purpose, the desire to achieve it can motivate you to change your life<\/a> in positive ways\u2014for example, leaving an unfulfilling job\u2014which in turn increases your happiness and fulfillment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, recognizing your purpose can give you a stronger sense of self<\/strong>, which Hollis says is especially valuable in times of change or adversity. People attach their sense of identity to the roles that they play, such as their job title<\/a> and marital status. This is dangerous, though, because these roles can change\u2014you can switch jobs, get married, or get divorced. When this happens, you can lose your sense of identity, which makes it much harder to adapt to your new situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, Hollis says he felt lost when going through his divorce because he\u2019d based so much of his identity on being a husband. After identifying his purpose, he realized that his identity was based more on being kind and helping others rather than being a husband or Disney executive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To avoid this loss of identity, Hollis says to attach your sense of identity to parts of yourself<\/a> that don\u2019t <\/em>change.<\/strong> He includes some roles such as father and brother among these immutable elements of self<\/a>, implying that these roles are a biological truth and can\u2019t change, regardless of external circumstances. He also includes his role as a child of God and his desire to do his best every day on the list, implying that faith and intentions can be an important part of identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone has a unique purpose based on their individual talents and experiences, as discussed above. However, it\u2019s likely that you could apply your talents and experiences in multiple ways, making it difficult to determine how best to share your gifts with the world. Hollis recommends looking at the intersection of five components to discover the best way to achieve your purpose and live a happy and fulfilling life:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Ideals: <\/strong>Pursue your purpose<\/a> in a way that aligns with the traits and behaviors you value. Hollis suggests identifying your ideals by considering how you want others to describe you and what makes you feel good about yourself<\/a>. For example, imagine your purpose is to be a film director. Your ideals might include creativity, passion, and spreading happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enthusiasm:<\/strong> Pursue your purpose in a way that excites and interests you. Hollis suggests identifying what you\u2019re enthusiastic about by considering what you love doing outside of your responsibilities. For example, you might love telling stories to your friends, and you might apply that to your purpose by telling stories through film<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proficiency:<\/strong> Pursue your purpose in a way that lets you use your skills. Hollis suggests focusing on the skills you\u2019re most proud of and confident in. For example, you might be talented at working collaboratively and directing camera angles, which you can easily apply to your directing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Positive effect<\/strong>: Pursue your purpose in a way that benefits the world. Hollis specifically suggests considering how your skills can fill a need. For example, as a director, you could tell stories that provide hope and encouragement to marginalized and disenfranchised people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Financial stability<\/strong>: Pursue your purpose in a way that supports you financially. For example, as a director, you might achieve financial stability by making popular movies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To fulfill your purpose<\/a>, you must first understand your current circumstances, <\/strong>Hollis says. Since your previous actions weren\u2019t helping you achieve your purpose, you\u2019ll have to change certain aspects of your life and behavior to better fit this goal. To make these changes, you must first understand what <\/em>you’re changing, how <\/em>you arrived at your current circumstances, and why <\/em>you don\u2019t want to remain in that state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To understand your current circumstances, determine whether your environment supports or harms your efforts to achieve your purpose.<\/strong> This includes aspects of life like the people you surround yourself with and the media you consume.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As discussed, many people don\u2019t fulfill their purpose because they don\u2019t recognize their own potential for change. Thus, an important step to changing your life<\/a> and fulfilling your purpose is believing you can do so.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hollis offers a few tips for cultivating the belief that you can change your circumstances:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Imagination is an important tool for believing change is possible. <\/strong>It lets you picture different opportunities and paths forward rather than simply accepting your current path. In turn, realizing you can make those potential lives a reality encourages you to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, Hollis had the opportunity to leave Disney and help his then-wife run her self-help and lifestyle company\u2014a change that aligned well with his purpose of helping others and his goal to be more present for his family. After working at Disney for so many years, though, he struggled to even consider this new path. It seemed illogical to leave a well-paying, respected job that guaranteed a steady future. However, by letting himself imagine what his life would look like if he left, Hollis realized how much happier and more fulfilling that alternative path would be. That encouraged him to depart Disney to pursue his purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To start this process, imagine dying without any regrets, Hollis says. What would your life look like? What would you have done? Imagining the happiness and fulfillment of a life without regrets provides a big-picture idea of how you want to live and gives you the courage to make changes in the present so you can realize your imagined scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Challenging your restrictive beliefs is another important part of believing that change is possible.<\/strong> Restrictive beliefs are negative things you believe about yourself that stop you from changing or achieving your purpose. They usually stem from your upbringing<\/a>, the roles that affect your sense of identity, and your past experiences. <\/strong>These are the main elements that influence your behavior and sense of self, Hollis says, which in turn affect your decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you were frequently left in charge of your younger siblings growing up, you might develop the restrictive belief that you have to be responsible for other people and that your role is the \u201ccaretaker.\u201d This belief stops you from pursuing your own interests and goals since you\u2019re focused on looking after others. If you want to achieve your purpose and feel happy and fulfilled, you must challenge your restrictive belief and give yourself permission to focus on yourself instead of (or in addition to) focusing on other people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To overcome your restrictive beliefs, analyze where they came from, <\/strong>Hollis suggests. <\/strong>Often, these beliefs stem from untrustworthy sources\u2014people who don\u2019t understand or support your values and goals and instead try to impose their own values and goals on you. Recognizing that these sources are untrustworthy makes it easier to dismiss restrictive beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, you may have the restrictive belief that becoming a teacher is a boring, low-status, poorly paid career path<\/a>. If you analyze the source of this belief, you can realize that it stems from your parents, who value high-paying, competitive business careers. This doesn\u2019t align with your own ideals of pursuing your passion<\/a>, helping others, and sharing knowledge, making your parents an untrustworthy source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Changing your perspective<\/a> can also help you believe that you can change your life and achieve your purpose.<\/strong> Hollis says your experiences shape you: The type of significance you put on an experience affects your behavior and sense of self. If you put positive<\/em> significance on experiences\u2014viewing them as a source of strength or motivation, for instance\u2014you\u2019re more likely to grow as a person<\/a> and achieve your purpose. This is in contrast to putting negative<\/em> significance on experiences\u2014for example, viewing them as a source of weakness or pain\u2014which defines you by those events and makes it difficult to move past them.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBuilt Through Courage<\/em> by Dave Hollis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Is Purpose?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Achieving Purpose Increases Happiness<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Identifying Purpose<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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How to Achieve Your Purpose | Step #1: Understand Your Current Circumstances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step #2: Believe You Can Change Your Circumstances<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Tip #1: Use Imagination<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tip #2: Challenge Restrictive Beliefs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tip #3: Change Your Perspective<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n