Self-help programs often focus on purpose, what it is, how to find your own. What isn't always said is why you need to spend time thinking about something as basic as your purpose in life.

Getting Beyond Basic

First, purpose isn't so basic. Existence is basic; survival is basic. We survive - so that we can continue to exist - largely through instinct, which is also pretty basic. On those three points, we are no different than any other species on earth, which also live by their instincts in order to survive that they (and their kind) might continue existing. Of all the species, however, we are the only one writing poetry, building skyscrapers, reading books, and engaging in all sorts of other activities that are extraneous to mere existence. Existence requires no cappuccinos, no cigarettes, no movies or tattoos or sports or orchestras. The homo sapiens prefer to do more than exist.

Seeking a Greater Purpose
Humans, in general, seek purpose beyond survival. We want to know that we mean something, that we are significant, that we have value, that we contribute something to the universe. The fact that we seek a greater purpose indicates to me that we do have one. The animal and plant worlds exist happily without questioning their purpose; dolphins chatter, birds sing, monkeys play, lions stretch and roar, cats pounce, dogs wag their tails in perfect contentment to simply be. Humans with no purpose grumble, whine, get lazy, get depressed, get into drugs and bad relationships and destructive behavior, give up, kill themselves.

Identifying Purpose Brings Satisfaction

Dissatisfaction with life as it is indicates both the value of life and the possibility for satisfaction with it. Identifying your particular purpose for life is necessary to reaching satisfaction. You cannot meaningfully improve something if you do not know why you are seeking to improve it. Neither will you reach any goals if you set them arbitrarily. You can only muster up so much motivation to push yourself toward something that isn't really significant for you. The process of improving your life can continue steadily only when you can set goals as they relate to your purpose. Goal-setting for the sake of goal-setting is a weary way to go.

Finding Your Particular Purpose
Finding your purpose is where most of us get stuck. We nod and agree that purpose is important. We recognize the desire we have for purpose. Then we pull out a piece of paper to define "my purpose in life" and either write down a trite phrase that really doesn't mean anything or stare helplessly, feeling as blank as the paper.

Perhaps you already have a clear idea of your purpose. If so, you're set to continue. If not, just make it simple: adopt as your purpose the goal of finding your purpose. A bit circular, yes, but it will be enough to keep you going for the next few steps.

Challenge Update: Late to bed, not early to rise. I got up and started my coffee, then made the mistake of laying down for "just a few more minutes" while it brewed.

Not a good idea.

What is so difficult about consistency in getting up early? Let's look at the factors.

Physical Factors

• Physical Weariness/Fatigue: Fatigue is caused by more than just how much sleep you get; unfortunately, most of us always attribute weariness to lack of sleep without considering other causes. Psychologically, then, if you experience lots of fatigue during the day, you're much less likely to want to get up when the alarm goes off. The rationalization goes like this: I was so tired yesterday. I'm not productive when I'm that tired. I hate being tired. If I sleep in just a little longer, I won't be so tired today. Sometimes, lack of sleep is the problem, but this should be addressed by adjusting your bedtime, not by hitting snooze five times in the morning. That "extra" sleep usually isn't sufficient for another REM cycle anyway and won't make you feel any more rested.
• Diet, Nutrition, and Exercise: Lots of processed food, lots of sugar, refined flours, fast food, greasy food, and too much caffeine give your body lots of hard work and can cause you to feel sluggish, unenergized, and unmotivated. Regular exercise, even if only for fifteen or twenty minutes a day, will boost energy.
• Amount of Sleep Needed: We all have this "eight hours of sleep" programmed into our brains from childhood. However, eight hours is not always an accurate estimate of how much sleep you need. People are different, and people's needs change during the course of life. An article from WebMD points out that eight hours is an average gained from a classic sleep study, and that there are long sleepers (those who need nine or more hours) and short sleepers (those who need five to six hours).

• Sickness and Special Physical Conditions: When you're sick, your body needs more rest because it is working harder than normal to fight off infection. Listen, and go to bed earlier, take naps, turn off your alarm, and do what you need to do in order to get extra rest. Special physical conditions such as pregnancy also create a need for additional sleep; the body is working hard to provide for a new little life. Naps and earlier bedtimes help a lot.

Mental and Emotional Factors

• Continual Stress: Situations that create anxiety, especially when the situation is ongoing, can cause debilitating weariness. Stress comes from work situations, loss of job, family crisis, relationship problems, financial problems or even things not tagged as problems: moving, changing careers, remodeling, major holidays, adoption, pregnancy, etc. Any situation that brings change, good or bad, also brings stress. Your emotional defense to this stress can be the "find a cave and hide" reaction, and it sends a strong message via physical weariness. This kind of reaction is especially common if you, like me, are a person who avoids conflict.
• Lack of Vision: Having no purpose, no vision for the day or week or month or year or life, or having a purpose but no plan for implementation will make it difficult to get yourself moving in the morning. If you have no reason, no goal that you are seeking to accomplish, no drive, then you have no motivation. You have no reason to get moving, and you also probably have depression because of a lack of defined purpose.
• Intimidating Project: Perhaps you have purpose, and a plan, but you also have a challenge waiting for you at work or at home. It could be a project you enjoy but that takes a long time and doesn't show much progress. It could be a challenge that you don't feel adequate to tackle. The knowledge that something big, overwhelming, and discouraging waits for you makes staying in bed much more appealing.

Environmental Factors

• Clutter: A messy room, home, and work environment sends strong messages that you can't really ignore. Clutter makes you feel out of control even if you aren't. It makes you take serious things less seriously; if your home or office isn't important enough to keep neat and clean, then how important are the activities that take place within it? Waking up to a messy room tells you that you are already starting out behind.
• Lack of Light: A room with no windows or very heavy drapes that allow no sunlight creates a perpetual night. Light is the natural wake-up call. If you don't have any in your room, you are sabotaging your own efforts.
• Weather: Hibernation instincts kick in during winter, especially on those gray days. Dark, rainy days anytime of year tend to make the bed feel much more comfortable.
• Family Habits: If your night-owl husband keeps you up too late and then sleeps peacefully through the alarm, it's going to be much more difficult for you to bound out of bed and start your day. If you have children and no morning or evening routines, you're creating even more difficulty.
• Social Obligations: Staying out too late with friends, not to mention the unpleasant effects of too much alcohol, work against your getting up early efforts.
• Bad Alarm Clock Set-Up: You need an alarm clock you can hear and cannot ignore (it should be very annoying); you need to put it close enough to wake you up but too far away to turn off without getting out of bed. If you can sleep through your alarm or hit the snooze button without lifting your head, you will still be in bed an hour after it rings.

Help Yourself

Don't be a slave to habits that work against your efforts. Change a few things (the ones that made you nod and say, Oooh, that's my problem) and renew your efforts to get up early.

• Drink lots of water during the day. Keep a bottle handy and refill it every time you empty it. Make yourself drink a glass of water before you have a soda or a coffee or a snack.
• Drink no caffeine after noon. Caffeine's effects can hit you much later than you think. Too much caffeine isn't good for you anyway, so get what you want in the morning and drink decaf after lunch. Better yet, drink water after lunch!
• Cut out fast food. If it's a habit, then let yourself have fast food once a week, maybe for a treat on Saturday or something. Otherwise, don't eat it.
• Cut out processed food for snacks. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables instead.
• Add a salad to your daily lunch or dinner, or to both. Eat your salad first.
• Get some exercise. Fifteen or twenty minutes is great. Start somewhere. Walk in the park. Get some exercise videos. Walk in the mall. Get some hand weights or an aerobic band. Dance.
• Don't worry about a bedtime; go to sleep when you're sleepy.
• Don't talk about or deal with stressful matters at night. Turn off the phone ringer if you have to. Do things that are calming, repetitive, and relaxing. Don't watch movies that are disturbing.
• Keep a notebook and pen handy at night. If you think of something to do, someone to call, whatever, write it down. That way your brain won't feel like it has to remember and you can continue to relax.
• Use a planner and make a plan. Jot down your morning get-up time in your planner, and a short to-do list for the next day. Leave it out on the kitchen table or by the coffee maker so you see it first thing in the morning.
• Find your purpose.
• Get help with your challenging projects. Have a friend come over to help you paint or cook pies or whatever. Schedule a meeting to work on a project together. Make a date with your spouse to do taxes. Don't tackle this stuff alone.
• Balance your day with long-progress projects and immediate- gratification items. Do something every day that allows you to see immediate results.
• Clean up your bedroom, including the closet. Take everything out of your room except what you need for dressing, sleeping, and sex. If you must, keep a couple of books by your bed; but don't bring in a whole library and definitely don't bring in work papers.
• Simplify your decor. Soft, muted colors are relaxing.
• Plan a special "reward" for yourself on nasty-weather days. Buy yourself a latte or have a cinnamon roll or rent a movie on the way home as a reward for getting yourself out of bed on those icky, rainy days. But you don't get the reward if you didn't get up on time!
• Tell your spouse you need help. If you're dealing with a night-owl spouse, just let him know that you're going to go to bed a little earlier than he does. Then when you get sleepy, go to bed. It's okay. He'll still love you.
• Set up routines for your children. Morning and evening. Nights will go smoother, they'll get to bed on time, you can relax and get a good night's sleep. Mornings will be easier and hassle-free and you won't have to dread them anymore.
• Limit your social obligations. If you know it's going to be later than you want to be, just say no. Save it for the weekend. Stay home more. Play with your kids. Talk to your husband. Knit something. Call your aunt in Nebraska. Write a letter to your sister (she'll be amazed). Watch a good movie. Be a homebody during the week. It's okay to slow your life down.
• Open the curtains, or get new ones. Let in some morning light.
• Get a good alarm clock, and set it up where you can see it but not touch it from your bed.
• Set up your coffee maker at night. When your alarm goes off, get up, turn it off, flip on your coffee maker, and don't even think about going back to bed while it brews!

Knowing your personality helps you to know yourself, but it can be difficult to determine exactly what personality type really fits you. We are much more complex than a single personality type. We have various aspects of the different personalities, and we are influenced by the people who raised us and by the important relationships we have formed as adults. It's possible, however, to determine which type most often fits our patterns of behavior, and from that information to deduce our strengths and weaknesses and the areas in which we must continually strive for balance.

1. Start by making a short list that describes you. First, write down three adjectives that fit you. Use whatever pops into your head, good or bad. Don't think too hard about this. Next, write down what you perceive to be your three greatest strengths. Follow this with your three greatest weaknesses. Finally, (and this part is optional) write down those words or phrases you've heard frequently when people describe you. Again, don't spend much time on any part of this list. Get down what you can think of in five or so minutes, and then move on. This is just a start and a point for reference to use later.

2. If you haven't already, read the Overview of Personality Types to get a feel for the different personalities. Aristotle was a sharp guy, so I stick to his personality breakdown. There are lots of other personality type breakdowns, Jungs-Myers-Briggs being the most well-known, but they get a little more complicated. I like to start simple and work from there. We can always add more complication for fun later.

3. Take a personality test (or two or three). This quick test at OneIShy.com only takes about 5 minutes; a 107 question test at 4Marks Temperaments is longer but more thorough; the PURE Personality Test uses different terms but the same four types.

4. Compare your test results with your own short list. How are they different? What terms are repeated? If you have some incongruency in results from the different tests, your short list can help you determine which is more accurate.

5. Read the descriptions given for your personality test results. You'll probably nod your head on a lot of it: "Yep, that's me. I do that." You'll also probably notice several characteristics that do not really seem to fit. That's okay. You're not going to be a "perfect" match with one personality type. You need balance! It's good if you spread out over more than one personality.

Personality Study is fascinating and you can go deeply into it. If you're intrigued by what you learn from this short exercise, consider purchasing a couple of books to learn more. There is, as always, no lack of information on the internet, but be sure the source is legitimate.

More Resources
Florence Littauer has written several books about the four temperaments, all of which are easy to understand and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the personality, how to gain balance, and how the personalities affect our relationships.

A fun personality test based on the writings of Gary Smalley uses animals to correspond to the four temperaments. The animal terms are great for explaining personalities to children, although the descriptive terms on the test itself may be a bit abstract for them.

This easy test at iVillage relates your personality to different career choices.

Personality Pathways offers an introduction and test for the Myers Briggs personality types as well as profiles and applications of each of the 16 types.

Challenge Update: Up at 5 a.m., on track for the day. Stayed up a little too late last night and I'm feeling it this morning, but I've managed to stay awake anyway.

Improve Your Life: Discover your personality type and do a bit of reading on your natural strengths and weaknesses.

Be Open-Minded: Let your personality study increase your acceptance of others. They are not just like you, nor should they be. The world needs a variety of people. Next time you get irritated with someone, try to see how your frustration stems from differences in personality. Then accept the difference. Don't waste time trying to conform everyone to your own personality preferences (even if they are better!).

    Aristotle classified four different types of personalities: sanguine, melancholy, choleric, and phlegmatic. Though the theory behind the types has changed (we don't really subscribe to the "bodily humors" reasoning anymore), the types have remained consistently accurate in describing people. Often, however, we recognize the terms but don't really understand how they translate into a person.

Personality Is Bigger than Personality Type
First we need to understand what a personality itself is: "the totality of qualities and traits, as of character or behavior, that are peculiar to an individual person... the pattern of collective character, behavioral, temperamental, emotional, and mental traits of an individual" (The American Heritage Dictionary). A personality is really bigger than a personality type. Every personality is unique, and every personality type is a generalization. Every pure type is affected by upbringing, experience, culture, peers, education, relationships. Two sanguines, born in the same year in the same country, will grow up to be two different people. Their personality types similar, yes; their preferences and expressions as unique as their fingerprints.
Imperfect though they are, personality types give us insight we need in building good relationships. We need to understand their limitations so that we do not expect ourselves or others to fit a mold perfectly. But we can use them to understand that others really do think, see, feel, and experience things differently. My pet peeve may be another's preference. An offense to you may be a harmless joke to me. We can become more flexible, more sensitive, and more fulfilled in our relationships as we grow in understanding the personalities.
Here is a rough, by no means exhaustive, overview of the four different types.

   Sanguine knows everybody and everybody likes him even though he forgets their names. Networking is what he does best, even unconsciously. He thrives on fun, action, excitement, and change. He loves to tell stories, get a laugh, be dramatic, and have the spotlight. Sanguine is not afraid of a party. He loves people but he gets bored just sitting around in deep conversation. Sanguine likes to be doing something, moving, shaking, stirring up the party. He is energized by groups and likes crowds. He likes to be where the action is, or even better, he likes to be the action! Sanguine is a talker who sees possibility in everything.
Melancholy knows only a few people but knows them well. Detail-oriented, deep and thoughtful, a perfectionist with high standards, he is organized and has a logical, analytical way of thinking. Melancholy can see the possibilities but he will also see the practical steps needed to get there, and sometimes overwhelmed by trying to get it all done right. He pushes himself to get a lot done and get it done well; he will be discouraged if he feels like a failure. He does not dislike people, but sometimes he doesn't understand them. He likes to observe, to watch from the edges, and he often has a gift of discernment and insight. He needs downtime alone to build up emotional energy, and he likes to have a plan.
Choleric knows as many people as he needs to know to get the job done. He is the master delegator, the consummate boss. He gets people moving not to party but to be productive. He makes decisions, takes charge, sets the goal, and shows people what to do to get there. Choleric thrives on challenges and loves being productive. If you tell him he can't, he will set about to prove that he can. And he will. Obstacles are fun for Choleric. He is good at handling a crisis and tells other what to do without thinking about it. He gets frustrated when people waste time and doesn't understand why others don't see things his way. He is bold and people naturally follow him.
Phlegmatic knows a lot of people but only has a few really close friends. He listens more than talks, but can engage in pleasant conversation with almost anyone without causing offense. He is calm and mellow, rarely gets flustered, and avoids conflict. He is extremely diplomatic and has a gift for using dry humor to ease tense situations. Phlegmatic encourages others, is sympathetic, and really enjoys people when they all get along. He is a mediator and a peaceful presence, though he can come across as apathetic and detached. He willingly puts aside his own preferences to make others happy, and genuinely enjoys their happiness.

Read more about personalities in Personality Plus by Florence Littauer. Littauer goes into much more detail about how the different personality types behave and why, what motivates them, how they can relate better to others, and how they can make the most of their strengths and weaknesses.

Challenge Update: Yes, finally, yes. Glory, Hallelujah. Alarm set, check. Alarm turned on, check. Alarm goes off, check. I get out of bed, check. And I am awake!

Improve Your Life: Try spending five minutes in the morning in quiet meditation. Don't "empty" your mind; real meditation is putting something good in your mind and pondering it. Trying to empty your mind usually results in all sorts of random and stressful thoughts filling it up. So don't leave the space. Choose a Bible verse or a positive quotation or word of encouragement and think about it. Five minutes is not very much time out of your day. Try it.

Be Open-Minded: Your mind needs food, and most of the time the food it gets is junk. We are the Information Age. We process incredible amounts of information everyday, much of it useless at best and horrifying at worst. What are you reading, watching, thinking, doing? Are these things doing you any good? If not, why are you feeding on them?

Challenge Update: I hang my head in shame. It's really a good idea if, when you move your alarm to a better location, you check to see that it is actually set and on. This thought did occur to me but, stupidly, I ignored it. So I woke up this morning (20 February) at 6:15 without the help of the alarm.

The good news is that I woke up this morning at 6:15 without the help of the alarm and was awake and refreshed. And annoyed with myself, too, but I'm getting over that.

Improve Your Life: Take the Blind Spots quick test and decide which model fits you best. Then think of one action you can take to begin turning those weaknesses into strengths.

Be Open-Minded: Try to see yourself from a stranger's perspective. What first impression do you create? How do you communicate? What do your relationships look like? Are you a happy person? Are you critical or accepting? What is your outstanding emotion?

I've been convicted lately of my tendency to go to God for "special instructions" - a direct word or answer or specific guidance for a particular situation - and expecting Him to answer when I am ignoring many of the very basic instructions He has already given.

A book I read recently put it this way: if we aren't obeying God's basic instructions to us, how can we possibly expect Him to give us additional, special instructions? Why should He? What sense is there in thinking we would be obedient to special direction when we ignore basic commands? When was the last time I fed the poor, clothed the naked, or sought another's wealth instead of my own? Have I blessed my enemies, been a minister of reconciliation, preached the kingdom of heaven from the rooftop, taken no thought for my own needs?

I fall short - painfully, shamefully short of anything like total obedience. I do long to hear the voice of the Father clearly; I do long for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in every situation. I believe the first step to living in a place of hearing His voice is living in total obedience to His written word.

The list below is by no means comprehensive and is not ordered in any particular way. It is just a list of the basic commands I have noticed as I've been reading through the New Testament again over the past few weeks.

Basic Instructions

• If you remember when you go to worship that a brother has something against you, leave your worship and go and be reconciled, then return to worship.
• When you pray, do not use vain repetitions.
• Be private about your prayer, your fasting, and your giving.
• Take no thought about your food, your clothes, your life, your body.
• Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
• Do not seek your own wealth, but every man seek another's wealth.
• Whether ye eat, or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
• Give no offense.
• Do not seek your own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
• Follow after love and desire spiritual gifts.
• Do not look at the things that are seen but at the things that are not seen.
• Be a minister of reconciliation.
• Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.
• Abound in giving with liberality.
• Give cheerfully; sow bountifully.
• By love serve one another.
• Forgive one another.
• Accept one another.
• Make reconciliation of offenses.
• Get the beam out of your own eye before you attempt to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
• Lay down your life.
• Abide in Jesus.
• Bear fruit.
• Keep the commandments of Jesus.
• Lose your life for the sake of Jesus.
• Do the will of the Father.
• Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him.
• Confess Jesus before men.
• Endure to the end.
• Take the yoke of Jesus upon you and learn from Him.
• Hear and do the words of Jesus.
• Love Jesus more than father, mother, son, or daughter.
• Follow Jesus.
• Bless those who curse you.
• Do good and pray for your enemies.
• Be a testimony to those who persecute you.
• Do not worry about what to say in response to those you accuse you.
• Do not return evil to evil, but return good.
• Do not resist evil (an evil person).
• Expect to be hated by the world.
• Flee persecution.
• Do not fear those who persecute you.
• Turn the other cheek, go another mile, give more than what is demanded.
• Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.
• Speak from the rooftops, preach in the open.
• Preach that the kingdom of heaven has come.
• Do not fear.
• Heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out devils, freely give.
• Do not worry about your provisions.
• Let your light so shine before men that they will see your good works and glorify God.
• Be like a little child.
• Humble yourself as a child.
• Feed the poor, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoners.
• Do not judge.
• Please God, not men.
• Do not be a hypocrite.
• Do not seek glory from men.
• Ask, seek, and knock.
• Walk worthy of the calling.
• Stand fast in the hope.
• Enter at the straight gate; walk the narrow road.
• Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.
• Do not lay up treasures on earth.
• Do not swear or take an oath; let your Yes mean yes and your No mean no.
• Get rid of what offends you (causes you to stumble).
• Rejoice in suffering.
• Increase and abound in love toward one another.
• Abound in keeping the commandments of Jesus.
• Abstain from fornication.
• Possess your vessel in sanctification and honor.
• Do not defraud your brother.
• Continue in the faith, grounded and settled.
• Do not move away from the hope of the gospel.
• Endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
• Speak the truth in love.
• Teach and admonish one another with songs, hymns, and spiritual songs.
• Put off the old man.
• Be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
• Put away lying.
• Do all in the name of Jesus.
• Speak what is good; edify; minister grace to those who hear you.
• Rejoice in the Lord always.
• Walk in wisdom toward unbelievers.
• Redeem the time.
• Seek moderation in all things.
• Be careful (anxious) for nothing.
• Give your requests go God.
• Think on good, honorable, praiseworthy things.
• Be content in any state.
• Seek those things which are above.
• Set your affection on things above.
• Mortify your members on the earth.
• Do not lie.
• Do not steal.
• Work with your hands what is good; give to those in need.

Challenge Update: Didn't Hear the Alarm Day. Ugh. Three days in a row without success. I can feel it eating away at my resolve. It's time for some reminders of motivation.

If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away?
Lord Chesterfield

Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow.
Doug Firebaugh

Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.
Robert Collier

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.
Vince Lombardi

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore,
is not an act but a habit.
Aristotle

Improve Your Life: If you (like me) are having difficulty getting up in the morning, try a different set up for your alarm lock. Perhaps you need to purchase a new one, with a louder or different alarm sound, or perhaps you should move yours to a different location (where the snooze button is out of your arm's reach). You could also try getting an alarm that will play cds, and burn one on your computer with songs that help motivate you. Little changes can make a big difference.

Be Open-Minded: Are you taking responsibility for the "little failures" in your day? It is easy to put blame on circumstances or other people, but it is only in taking responsibility that you find the power to change.