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“Well,” you might say, “that’s an easy question to answer if you are Nelson Mandela, or Abraham Lincoln, or General Eisenhower.” But let’s leave these giants of history aside for a moment and ask again, “Why are you alive?”
I find it helpful, in answering this question, to picture an oxygen atom. [Don’t run off if you hated Chemistry…give us three more minutes].
Our Core
I’m not a chemistry major, either, so I’ve placed a depiction of the oxygen atom in at the head of this post. At the center of this ubiquitous atom—like every other atom—are the protons and neutrons that form its core, the part of the atom that contains nearly all of its mass. This core—the nucleus—also contains the force that binds the atom (nucleus and electrons) together and, by dint of its makeup, (oxygen having eight protons and neutrons) it defines what kind of atom it is: only an oxygen atom has eight protons, neutrons and electrons.
We, too, are 8-dimensional people, which is why we at LDG like the oxygen atom metaphor. We have a core that defines us as a unique individual and that is the force that holds the 8-dimensions of our lives in tune, making us an integrated and whole person. It is at this core that we find the answer to our question.
Why Are You Alive? Your Core Purpose
In our Circle of Life framework, we have a two-part core. The first is our purpose in life. When working with people, we often ask the question, “Who are you at this moment in time and who are you becoming?” It’s a question that often stumps people. We all tend to have a quick and glib answer to the question, “What do you do?” Few of us, however, can come up with a short, clear answer the to this question: “Why are you alive at this moment in time?”
Andy Conner, a police officer in Seattle, came face-to-face with that question and it led to him starting The Genesis Project for helping trafficked women. In describing how it began, Officer Conner wrote, “There was truly nothing I could do (for women trapped in the sex trade), and that was the night the crushing weight of it all finally hit me. As a police officer, not only am I to enforce the law, I also need to help people.” (Emphasis mine).
Conner was alive at that moment in time to help people. In his context, the people most in need of help were young women trapped in the sex trade—often from being intentionally trafficked—wanting to escape but seeing no way to do it. It led him to founding a non-profit organization to offer a way of escape.
Conner has the privilege of having an occupation that fits very nicely with his vocation—his calling. This is our hope for every person: that we might be about an occupation that allows us to fulfill our calling, the answer to why we are alive at this moment in time.
What Do You Believe? Your Core Values
The other part of our core is what we believe to be true: about our life, about who we are and about others. From this part of our core flow our values, integrity and character. A healthy and thriving core is necessary for a life of integrity, thriving in all its 8-dimensions.
Many, however, have picked up some baggage in the long journey of life. People in all walks of life have fallen prey to lies about life or who they are, perhaps by a parent or other close relative (often unintentionally), perhaps by cruel friends in adolescence, or perhaps by failure or other life difficulties. The best of mentors will spend time understanding who people are at this level, in order to help them thrive in every dimension.
In the coming weeks, our team we will have thoughts on each of the 8 Dimensions of a Whole Life. As you read them, remember that in order to thrive in each of these rich dimensions, one must be thriving at his or her core—in the same way an oxygen atom must have a perfectly formed nucleus in order for the whole atom to be in tune.
The best of mentors will be invited into a mentoree’s core to explore and discover what is there: why they are alive and what they believe to be true, and then help them see how well they are living out of that core in each dimension of life.
Why are you alive at this moment in time? What do you believe to be true? If you need help working through these questions, or if you are a mentor and want to know more about helping others through these questions, we would love to hear from you.
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