The Highest Goal - Part 1

The book I needed to read this weekend presented itself. Funny how that happens, isn’t it?

I bought The Highest Goal: The Secrets That Sustain You in Every Moment, by Michael Ray, a while back but had not gotten to it. Today was perfect timing because I needed a little INspiration, emphasis on coming from within.

Jim Collins, author of the smash best seller Good to Great attended a class taught by Michael Ray at Stanford in 1982 and wrote the Foreword. He had this to say:

“In the years since, I’ve come to believe that there are two approaches to life. The first, followed by most, the the “paint by numbers kit” approach to life. You do what other people say. You follow a well-traveled path. You stay within the lines. And you end up with a nice, pretty - and unimaginative - picture. The second, followed by few, is to start with a blank canvas and try to paint a masterpiece. It is a riskier path, a harder path, a path filled with ambiguity and creative choice. But it is the only way to make your life itself a creative work of art.”

Whoa, I thought, this is just what I need.

So what is the highest goal? Here is how Michael Ray describes it:

“You connect with your highest goal when you awaken full of enthusiasm for the day and when you know you are making a contribution. It is synonymous with being in the flow, - periods in which you are so totally absorbed with what you are doing that time stops and fulfillment comes naturally.”

Is Michael Ray suggesting we try to reach the highest goal all the time? No. Ray's point in distinguishing the highest goal is to help readers and students find and identify their personal highest goal. Being cognizant of and driven by our highest goal is what will carry us through the more trying and difficult times in our life. When we see, know, choose, and connect with our highest goal we can “act with intention relative to the highest goal and better align your efforts with this generative process”

Ray asks us to recall when we last fell in love (or fell the hardest!). All the other hassles and problems in our life seemed to loose their ability to become barriers. We were mentally on fire and little things were not a bother.

How do we determine our highest goal? Stay tuned as I will discuss this tomorrow!

Get your own copy of The Highest Goal at:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble.com

1800CEOREAD.com

Comments

[Evelyn Rodriguez]

Hi Lisa, I just love Michael Ray - he is a very warm, authentic person as well. I lent out my copy to a friend whom is looking to make a transition BEFORE I even got 1/3 through and I can't wait to get it back.