Purposeful Discovery by Mark Locklear

As part of my work at eXtension.org I have been participating in a Working Out Loud Learning Circle. Working Out Loud is a book by John Stepper that focuses on five elements: purposeful discovery, relationships, generosity, visible work, and growth mindset. As a part of this Learning Circle I have discovered principles that can also be applied to our journey with Christ. Over the next few months I will look at each of these elements from a Christian perspective.

In this first post let’s look at purposeful discovery, what that means, and how we can implement it in our lives. First, as a practical definition purposeful discovery means being intentional about how we spend our time. Many of us may hope our spiritual lives will magically grow, however, we must be intentional about our spiritual growth and how we work on it.

I recently received a text from a friend:

…Hi there. I remember you volunteering at a soup kitchen once. I wanted to get involved with something like that. Where was that? Do you still do it?

While I would like you to think I was volunteering at a soup kitchen, what she was referring to was that I had shared with her that I occasionally attended the Wednesday Lunch Church Service at Haywood St. Ministry in Asheville. If you have never been to this, you should make time for it. It is a wonderful service. My point is that, by contacting me and inquiring about an opportunity, this friend was being proactive and purposeful about her spiritual life.

One of the principles of a Lean Startup is having goal-oriented activities. These are not large goals, but are instead small, attainable goals. Think of them as small bets that give you quick feedback and allow you to quickly pivot or change as you work. Cal Newport talks about this very thing in his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You where he argues that

…great missions are transformed into great successes as the result of using small and achievable projects — little bets — to explore the concrete possibilities surrounding a compelling idea.

So, in your spiritual life, find something that interests you and place “little bets” on that idea. It might be as simple as joining a Sunday School Class, or getting involved in your kid’s youth activities. You can find a list of missions that Trinity is passionate about HERE, but do not be limited by that. If you don’t find something on this page that interests you, then start your own. The possibilities are endless!