The guidance I receive from my CEO is on a 'need to know basis.' So, today I was a bit surprised when I realized I wanted to share a before and after picture from my life; one that spans about 3 decades, taking us back to my early days in my own veterinary practice, long before Life On Purpose Institute, and even before I had any real sense of my own true life purpose.

At that time I was a pretty frightened young man, trying to figure out the secret to making a go of it with my veterinary practice. I spent an exorbitant amount of time in my back office, playing with my computer, and whatever accounting software I used at that time, trying to figure out why we were struggling so much financially.

What I didn't realize until later after hiring my first coach, Judy Billman, was that I was terrified of people, so all my attention was spent either with their pets when I was in the exam room, or hiding out in the back office. And if the truth be known, I still enjoy 'hiding out' from time to time. I would say by nature I'm more of an introvert than an extrovert except for one thing -- I feel I've been called to this planet to share the possibility of living on purpose with the rest of the world.

And this purpose allows me to tap into a wellspring of passion that provides me with fuel and propels me to reach beyond my comfort zone as an introvert and do such things as speak in public all around the country, especially to professional groups and to spiritual communities. And one of the biggest paradoxes of my purposeful life is that I love speaking in public ONCE I get over the trepidation I always feel at first.

But one thing that has always served me well during these times is something my karate sensei told me once before my first tournament. "It's ok, Brad, to have butterflies in your stomach. Your job now is to have them fly in formation." In other words, the nervous energy can be converted to a positive purpose.

2005 Brad Swift of Life On Purpose Institute, Inc. This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this resource box are included. PPE 01/01/05