Today is my 33rd birthday. Since it's my birthday, I ask all of you to indulge me a little and check out my list of 33 wishes. If you do look at it and do one, two or a whole bunch of things on it, then I may have a reverse-birthday gift for you (along with the benefit that doing these cool things).
This list is more about you than it is about me, and I really want you try some of the items on it. So to inspire you to take action, I am offering a fun little birthday game. Here are the rules.
Look over the list and decide which ones you are going to do. You have through February 13th (11 days counting today) to do as many of these as you can/want to. Some of these are quick and easy, while others may take some time.
Everyone who completes at least one of these list items will be acknowledged and honored. Three of you will receive a birthday present from me. I will select those three at random from the entries I receive. You will receive one entry for every item you complete on the list through February 13th.
We will use the honor system. Send me an email when you complete one of the items (you may need to contact me anyway to get some of the items done). When you send that email tell me a little about your experience getting it done.
Here's my birthday list. Please enjoy.
My Wish List
1. Send a link to this post to 3 friends who aren't already a part of our Mighty Purpose adventure.
2. Get out of your house and do 1 random act of kindness. If you want some inspiration, here is something shared by a real woman a little over a year ago.
3. Take the 1% Pledge.
4. Don't want to take that pledge? Then go contribute 1 hour to a local cause you care about.
5. Go to the Museum of Purpose and share one item to our own Facebook page.
6. Give a gift to a cause you care about that is so large, that it hurts.
7. Don't want to give 'til it hurts? Then, give a small gift (I suggest $33 because it's my 33rd birthday, or whatever you consider small). Currently, I'm partial to the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society (I'm currently it's Director), the Urban League of Greater Madison (the venue of some of the greatest change I've been a part of), and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (this non-partisan political watchdog group saved my political soul over 6 years ago). More important than who I'm partial to, is that you give to a cause that matters to you.
8. Take the Measuring Test and email me your results.
9. Take the Wellbeing Test and email me your results.
10. Take the Injustice Test and email me your results.
11. Fix a problem at work.
12. Make change happen at home.
13. Start that business you've been thinking about. Or, at least take a contract gig on the side.
14. Remember that dream you had as a kid? Start making it happen. Don't know why this is important, then check this out.
15. Start something in your community.
16. Read a book on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List and then act on what the book said.
17. Call me at (608)698-6055 and ask me for advice. I always have an appropriate book or tool you haven't engaged yet to recommend. Take the "try to stump Sterling" challenge.
18. Get angry about something and act on it. Don't know what I mean, then check out the "Holy Discontent" section here.
19. Go do something everyone will say "cool" about when you tell them. Think traveling, marathons, polar plunges, wilderness treks and other adventures. If you don't know why this is important, then check out the "Do One Really Cool Thing" section here.
20. Go on a shameless learning binge (think books, courses, webinars, workshops, a horde of mentors, and more). But first you must create a document that dictates the rules listed on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List and sign it in blood.
21. Write a manifesto that tells the world who you are, what is your foundation, what is most change you need to happen, and how you plan on making that change happen. Then share it with the world.
22. If you are missing any of the basic human needs (adequate clothing, food, health, shelter, etc.), then go it. Unless you using the exception I described here.
23. Get to know yourself better. I suggest you try some of the tools on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List or others listed here in the "Know Yourself" section.
24. Try to do something that is simple and low cost to you (in both time and resources). If it works and it feels right, then do it again but bigger this time. If you don't know why going small before going big is often the best, then I suggest you check out the "Risking for Your Purpose in the Real World" section.
25. Spend a week ignoring the idea of work/life balance. Your life is (should be) so much bigger than your work.
26. Recommend someone for the Next Motivate Fellowship by shooting me an email.
27. Get to know yourself a little better. You find some ideas here in the section "Know Yourself".
28. Get some rest, do something fun, and then rest some more. It's important to stay recharged.
29. Start a battle with your Army of the Dead today.
30. Are you thinking about quitting something important because it's "just too much"? Don't quit. I promise you the alternative to having "too much purpose" isn't much better than what you have today.
31. Check out the section entitled "Upgrade Your Environment" and do what it says.
32. Are you involved in something challenging, cool, purpose-driven and/or meaningful? Shoot me an email and tell me about it.
33. Do you know someone else who is involved in something challenging, cool, purpose-driven and/or meaningful? If so, shoot me an email and tell me about them.
34. Bonus Birthday Wish - Read a book to your, or someone else's, kid. My 5 year old keeps lecturing me on the importance of reading 20 minutes a day to him. He's right. Plus, if it's good enough for him then it's probably good enough for all the other kids running around out there.
Try some of these and let me know what happens.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
Look over the list and decide which ones you are going to do. You have through February 13th (11 days counting today) to do as many of these as you can/want to. Some of these are quick and easy, while others may take some time.
Everyone who completes at least one of these list items will be acknowledged and honored. Three of you will receive a birthday present from me. I will select those three at random from the entries I receive. You will receive one entry for every item you complete on the list through February 13th.
We will use the honor system. Send me an email when you complete one of the items (you may need to contact me anyway to get some of the items done). When you send that email tell me a little about your experience getting it done.
Here's my birthday list. Please enjoy.
My Wish List
1. Send a link to this post to 3 friends who aren't already a part of our Mighty Purpose adventure.
2. Get out of your house and do 1 random act of kindness. If you want some inspiration, here is something shared by a real woman a little over a year ago.
3. Take the 1% Pledge.
4. Don't want to take that pledge? Then go contribute 1 hour to a local cause you care about.
5. Go to the Museum of Purpose and share one item to our own Facebook page.
6. Give a gift to a cause you care about that is so large, that it hurts.
7. Don't want to give 'til it hurts? Then, give a small gift (I suggest $33 because it's my 33rd birthday, or whatever you consider small). Currently, I'm partial to the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society (I'm currently it's Director), the Urban League of Greater Madison (the venue of some of the greatest change I've been a part of), and the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (this non-partisan political watchdog group saved my political soul over 6 years ago). More important than who I'm partial to, is that you give to a cause that matters to you.
8. Take the Measuring Test and email me your results.
9. Take the Wellbeing Test and email me your results.
10. Take the Injustice Test and email me your results.
11. Fix a problem at work.
12. Make change happen at home.
13. Start that business you've been thinking about. Or, at least take a contract gig on the side.
14. Remember that dream you had as a kid? Start making it happen. Don't know why this is important, then check this out.
15. Start something in your community.
16. Read a book on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List and then act on what the book said.
17. Call me at (608)698-6055 and ask me for advice. I always have an appropriate book or tool you haven't engaged yet to recommend. Take the "try to stump Sterling" challenge.
18. Get angry about something and act on it. Don't know what I mean, then check out the "Holy Discontent" section here.
19. Go do something everyone will say "cool" about when you tell them. Think traveling, marathons, polar plunges, wilderness treks and other adventures. If you don't know why this is important, then check out the "Do One Really Cool Thing" section here.
20. Go on a shameless learning binge (think books, courses, webinars, workshops, a horde of mentors, and more). But first you must create a document that dictates the rules listed on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List and sign it in blood.
21. Write a manifesto that tells the world who you are, what is your foundation, what is most change you need to happen, and how you plan on making that change happen. Then share it with the world.
22. If you are missing any of the basic human needs (adequate clothing, food, health, shelter, etc.), then go it. Unless you using the exception I described here.
23. Get to know yourself better. I suggest you try some of the tools on the Motivate (Beta) Reading List or others listed here in the "Know Yourself" section.
24. Try to do something that is simple and low cost to you (in both time and resources). If it works and it feels right, then do it again but bigger this time. If you don't know why going small before going big is often the best, then I suggest you check out the "Risking for Your Purpose in the Real World" section.
25. Spend a week ignoring the idea of work/life balance. Your life is (should be) so much bigger than your work.
26. Recommend someone for the Next Motivate Fellowship by shooting me an email.
27. Get to know yourself a little better. You find some ideas here in the section "Know Yourself".
28. Get some rest, do something fun, and then rest some more. It's important to stay recharged.
29. Start a battle with your Army of the Dead today.
30. Are you thinking about quitting something important because it's "just too much"? Don't quit. I promise you the alternative to having "too much purpose" isn't much better than what you have today.
31. Check out the section entitled "Upgrade Your Environment" and do what it says.
32. Are you involved in something challenging, cool, purpose-driven and/or meaningful? Shoot me an email and tell me about it.
33. Do you know someone else who is involved in something challenging, cool, purpose-driven and/or meaningful? If so, shoot me an email and tell me about them.
34. Bonus Birthday Wish - Read a book to your, or someone else's, kid. My 5 year old keeps lecturing me on the importance of reading 20 minutes a day to him. He's right. Plus, if it's good enough for him then it's probably good enough for all the other kids running around out there.
Try some of these and let me know what happens.
Be well,
Sterling Lynk
Image [www.publicdomainpictures.net]