when I was at TEDx haha five years ago I was newly married then and my wife was
was newly married then and my wife was
was newly married then and my wife was in the audience yes I was focused on
in the audience yes I was focused on
in the audience yes I was focused on delivering my message but I was equally
delivering my message but I was equally
delivering my message but I was equally focused on impressing her a lot of
focused on impressing her a lot of
focused on impressing her a lot of change in my life
change in my life
change in my life since then I used to work seven days a
since then I used to work seven days a
since then I used to work seven days a week
week
week without paying much attention to my
without paying much attention to my
without paying much attention to my health now five years later I have a
health now five years later I have a
health now five years later I have a daughter I spend more time with my
daughter I spend more time with my
daughter I spend more time with my family and I run at least five
family and I run at least five
family and I run at least five kilometres a day I still have the same
kilometres a day I still have the same
kilometres a day I still have the same wife though and I still try to impress
wife though and I still try to impress
wife though and I still try to impress her and it still doesn’t work but let’s
her and it still doesn’t work but let’s
her and it still doesn’t work but let’s focus on running for a minute I’m sure
focus on running for a minute I’m sure
focus on running for a minute I’m sure many of you in this audience are avid
many of you in this audience are avid
many of you in this audience are avid runners can we have a quick show of
runners can we have a quick show of
runners can we have a quick show of hands how many of you run great
hands how many of you run great
hands how many of you run great wonderful running can have different
wonderful running can have different
wonderful running can have different purposes you can run to burn calories
purposes you can run to burn calories
purposes you can run to burn calories you can run to reach a destination you
you can run to reach a destination you
you can run to reach a destination you might also be running to escape someone
might also be running to escape someone
might also be running to escape someone in the trajectory of our life we’re also
in the trajectory of our life we’re also
in the trajectory of our life we’re also running running since the time we were
running running since the time we were
running running since the time we were born running since we enroll in school
born running since we enroll in school
born running since we enroll in school running to compete education running to
running to compete education running to
running to compete education running to find the first job running to impress
find the first job running to impress
find the first job running to impress that special someone or multiple ones
that special someone or multiple ones
that special someone or multiple ones running to advance her career and
running to advance her career and
running to advance her career and running to make more money have you
running to make more money have you
running to make more money have you however paused for a moment to ask why
however paused for a moment to ask why
however paused for a moment to ask why are you running
are you running
are you running you may be running faster than your
you may be running faster than your
you may be running faster than your peers but how do you know if you’re
peers but how do you know if you’re
peers but how do you know if you’re running in the right direction for the
running in the right direction for the
running in the right direction for the past nine years I have been working with
past nine years I have been working with
past nine years I have been working with young people and adults helping them
young people and adults helping them
young people and adults helping them build their leadership capabilities and
build their leadership capabilities and
build their leadership capabilities and realize their potential
realize their potential
realize their potential I have heard countless times people
I have heard countless times people
I have heard countless times people saying follow your passion
I am here to tell you differently I am
I am here to tell you differently I am here to tell you follow your purpose
here to tell you follow your purpose
here to tell you follow your purpose because you see purpose is what gives
because you see purpose is what gives
because you see purpose is what gives direction pure passion passion is what
direction pure passion passion is what
direction pure passion passion is what you like purpose is what you value
you like purpose is what you value
you like purpose is what you value passion is like a ball of energy passion
passion is like a ball of energy passion
passion is like a ball of energy passion is desire passion is a drive passion is
is desire passion is a drive passion is
is desire passion is a drive passion is a force for unless you deploy this
a force for unless you deploy this
a force for unless you deploy this energy in the right direction passion
energy in the right direction passion
energy in the right direction passion can build you passion can also break
you may then ask how do I find purpose
you may then ask how do I find purpose the purpose which will channel my
the purpose which will channel my
the purpose which will channel my passion in life a good starting point to
passion in life a good starting point to
passion in life a good starting point to think about purpose may be to look at
think about purpose may be to look at
think about purpose may be to look at your actual behavior your day-to-day
your actual behavior your day-to-day
your actual behavior your day-to-day actions how you’re allocating your time
actions how you’re allocating your time
actions how you’re allocating your time not what you’re saying but actually how
not what you’re saying but actually how
not what you’re saying but actually how are you spending your hours in the day
are you spending your hours in the day
are you spending your hours in the day and that will give you an indication of
and that will give you an indication of
and that will give you an indication of what you really value in your life and
what you really value in your life and
what you really value in your life and it is possible for you to have multiple
it is possible for you to have multiple
it is possible for you to have multiple purposes in life and at different stages
purposes in life and at different stages
purposes in life and at different stages in your life you may prioritize them
in your life you may prioritize them
in your life you may prioritize them differently in your twenties your
differently in your twenties your
differently in your twenties your purpose may be to advance your career in
purpose may be to advance your career in
purpose may be to advance your career in your 30s you may prioritize your family
your 30s you may prioritize your family
your 30s you may prioritize your family in your forties you may prioritize
in your forties you may prioritize
in your forties you may prioritize looking after your aging parents so it
looking after your aging parents so it
looking after your aging parents so it is okay for you to change the priorities
is okay for you to change the priorities
is okay for you to change the priorities of your purposes but what I am here to
of your purposes but what I am here to
of your purposes but what I am here to tell you is it is equally important to
tell you is it is equally important to
tell you is it is equally important to have a higher overarching purpose and
have a higher overarching purpose and
have a higher overarching purpose and overarching purpose that defines the
overarching purpose that defines the
overarching purpose that defines the trajectory of your life and you will
trajectory of your life and you will
trajectory of your life and you will find your higher overarching purpose by
find your higher overarching purpose by
find your higher overarching purpose by reflecting on your values on your life
reflecting on your values on your life
reflecting on your values on your life experiences and the people you’re
experiences and the people you’re
experiences and the people you’re attached to and the loyalty you feel
attached to and the loyalty you feel
attached to and the loyalty you feel towards them my overarching purpose in
towards them my overarching purpose in
towards them my overarching purpose in life is to create a just tolerant and
life is to create a just tolerant and
life is to create a just tolerant and inclusive world I aspire to live behind
inclusive world I aspire to live behind
inclusive world I aspire to live behind a Bangladesh that is better than the one
a Bangladesh that is better than the one
a Bangladesh that is better than the one that I inherited for me Bangladesh Youth
that I inherited for me Bangladesh Youth
that I inherited for me Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center is the vehicle through
Leadership Center is the vehicle through
Leadership Center is the vehicle through which I am trying to serve my purpose of
which I am trying to serve my purpose of
which I am trying to serve my purpose of creating a better Bangladesh and
creating a better Bangladesh and
creating a better Bangladesh and creating a better world
creating a better world
creating a better world but during my interactions with young
but during my interactions with young
but during my interactions with young people adults I have seen how easy it is
people adults I have seen how easy it is
people adults I have seen how easy it is for us to be disconnected from our
for us to be disconnected from our
for us to be disconnected from our purpose I have seen firsthand
purpose I have seen firsthand
purpose I have seen firsthand well-meaning skilled capable people
well-meaning skilled capable people
well-meaning skilled capable people getting derailed losing track when they
getting derailed losing track when they
getting derailed losing track when they are disconnected from their purpose and
are disconnected from their purpose and
are disconnected from their purpose and after nine years of running Bangladesh
after nine years of running Bangladesh
after nine years of running Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center I have come to
Youth Leadership Center I have come to
Youth Leadership Center I have come to realize that when divorced from purpose
realize that when divorced from purpose
realize that when divorced from purpose skills are meaningless
I want to offer two reflections on how
I want to offer two reflections on how we can stay connected to our overarching
we can stay connected to our overarching
we can stay connected to our overarching higher purpose in life first staying
higher purpose in life first staying
higher purpose in life first staying connected to purpose requires focus and
connected to purpose requires focus and
connected to purpose requires focus and consistency and many of you who raised
consistency and many of you who raised
consistency and many of you who raised your hands you will relate to this when
your hands you will relate to this when
your hands you will relate to this when you go for a run
you go for a run
you go for a run there will be mornings when you get up
there will be mornings when you get up
there will be mornings when you get up and you just don’t feel like going out
and you just don’t feel like going out
and you just don’t feel like going out but you have to force yourself get up
but you have to force yourself get up
but you have to force yourself get up and go for a run because that builds
and go for a run because that builds
and go for a run because that builds consistency that builds focus and once
consistency that builds focus and once
consistency that builds focus and once you do it every day over and over again
you do it every day over and over again
you do it every day over and over again that becomes a habit
that becomes a habit
that becomes a habit similarly in life there will be days
similarly in life there will be days
similarly in life there will be days when you go to work and you’re just not
when you go to work and you’re just not
when you go to work and you’re just not connected to what you’re trying to do
connected to what you’re trying to do
connected to what you’re trying to do but you have to push yourself to stay
but you have to push yourself to stay
but you have to push yourself to stay connected to that purpose it’s it’s an
connected to that purpose it’s it’s an
connected to that purpose it’s it’s an effort that we have to put in it may not
effort that we have to put in it may not
effort that we have to put in it may not always come naturally but for us to
always come naturally but for us to
always come naturally but for us to drive our purpose forward we must be
drive our purpose forward we must be
drive our purpose forward we must be consistent and we must be focused the
consistent and we must be focused the
consistent and we must be focused the second idea that I want to put forward
second idea that I want to put forward
second idea that I want to put forward on how we can stay connected to our
on how we can stay connected to our
on how we can stay connected to our overarching purpose is the idea that in
overarching purpose is the idea that in
overarching purpose is the idea that in life we have to be able to differentiate
life we have to be able to differentiate
life we have to be able to differentiate between what is indispensable and what
between what is indispensable and what
between what is indispensable and what is expendable let me illustrate this
is expendable let me illustrate this
is expendable let me illustrate this with an example imagine you are going to
with an example imagine you are going to
with an example imagine you are going to run a marathon a marathon is for 42
run a marathon a marathon is for 42
run a marathon a marathon is for 42 kilometers and your friends family
kilometers and your friends family
kilometers and your friends family well-wishers have all come to cheer for
well-wishers have all come to cheer for
well-wishers have all come to cheer for you there we see at the track now after
you there we see at the track now after
you there we see at the track now after every kilometer your well wishers
every kilometer your well wishers
every kilometer your well wishers because they mean well come and give you
because they mean well come and give you
because they mean well come and give you a bottle of water if you start picking
a bottle of water if you start picking
a bottle of water if you start picking up every bottle after every kilometer by
up every bottle after every kilometer by
up every bottle after every kilometer by the time you reach the 20th kilometer
the time you reach the 20th kilometer
the time you reach the 20th kilometer you are carrying 19 bottles of water
you are carrying 19 bottles of water
you are carrying 19 bottles of water really what do you think is going to
really what do you think is going to
really what do you think is going to happen to you
happen to you
happen to you similarly in the marathon of life since
similarly in the marathon of life since
similarly in the marathon of life since we were born
we were born
we were born by the time we were three years old our
by the time we were three years old our
by the time we were three years old our mother has an expectation of us so she
mother has an expectation of us so she
mother has an expectation of us so she loads us with her expectation and your
loads us with her expectation and your
loads us with her expectation and your father has his expectations from you so
father has his expectations from you so
father has his expectations from you so he gives you his bottle of expectation
he gives you his bottle of expectation
he gives you his bottle of expectation you go to primary school and you do do
you go to primary school and you do do
you go to primary school and you do do well in maths and you teach your things
well in maths and you teach your things
well in maths and you teach your things you should be a scientist so that’s
you should be a scientist so that’s
you should be a scientist so that’s another bottle of expectation for you in
another bottle of expectation for you in
another bottle of expectation for you in secondary school you write well so you
secondary school you write well so you
secondary school you write well so you teach us things that you should be a
teach us things that you should be a
teach us things that you should be a writer and in high school you have that
writer and in high school you have that
writer and in high school you have that special someone that special someone who
special someone that special someone who
special someone that special someone who you think you are going to spend the
you think you are going to spend the
you think you are going to spend the rest of your life with and by the way
rest of your life with and by the way
rest of your life with and by the way the whole world except you knows that
the whole world except you knows that
the whole world except you knows that this relationship has no future and it’s
this relationship has no future and it’s
this relationship has no future and it’s soon going to sink like the Titanic
soon going to sink like the Titanic
soon going to sink like the Titanic gap special someone wants you to be rich
gap special someone wants you to be rich
gap special someone wants you to be rich and famous
and famous
and famous so that special someone has loaded you
so that special someone has loaded you
so that special someone has loaded you with another bottle of expectation by
with another bottle of expectation by
with another bottle of expectation by the time you’re 20 you are carrying all
the time you’re 20 you are carrying all
the time you’re 20 you are carrying all these bottles of expectations with you
these bottles of expectations with you
these bottles of expectations with you how can you achieve your overarching
how can you achieve your overarching
how can you achieve your overarching purpose in life if you are carrying all
purpose in life if you are carrying all
purpose in life if you are carrying all these expectations
so for you to achieve your potential to
so for you to achieve your potential to realize your aspirations from your own
realize your aspirations from your own
realize your aspirations from your own life to serve your purpose you have to
life to serve your purpose you have to
life to serve your purpose you have to start emptying some bottles because in
start emptying some bottles because in
start emptying some bottles because in life if you are not running with your
life if you are not running with your
life if you are not running with your own purpose you’re running with someone
own purpose you’re running with someone
own purpose you’re running with someone else’s so I encourage you to start
else’s so I encourage you to start
else’s so I encourage you to start thinking about recharge the bottles of
thinking about recharge the bottles of
thinking about recharge the bottles of expectations in your life that are
expectations in your life that are
expectations in your life that are absolutely essential for you to take
absolutely essential for you to take
absolutely essential for you to take forward and recharge the bottles that
forward and recharge the bottles that
forward and recharge the bottles that are no longer serving your purpose which
are no longer serving your purpose which
are no longer serving your purpose which are the bottles that you need to get rid
are the bottles that you need to get rid
are the bottles that you need to get rid of which are the bottles that you need
of which are the bottles that you need
of which are the bottles that you need to start empty so that you can start
to start empty so that you can start
to start empty so that you can start serving your purpose
you resume your lights run tomorrow I
you resume your lights run tomorrow I invite you to spend a little more time
invite you to spend a little more time
invite you to spend a little more time thinking about your purpose see life
thinking about your purpose see life
thinking about your purpose see life cannot be just about making it to the
cannot be just about making it to the
cannot be just about making it to the finish line
let’s not run just for the sake of
let’s not run just for the sake of running let’s find our higher
running let’s find our higher
running let’s find our higher overarching purpose and run with it
overarching purpose and run with it
overarching purpose and run with it thank you very much
”
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