Purpose: the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used.

There was a movie that came out in the 80’s called the Terminator. The former governor of California was this robot from the future whose sole purpose was to kill a woman named Sarah O Connor. It seemed that Sarah had a son that started a revolution in the future and took down the governor and his robot friends in a huge man vs. machine apocalyptic war.

I was probably around seven or eight years old when this movie first came out. It was one of the first really graphic violent movies I’ve ever watched. People with bad hair and jeans jackets were getting blown away every five minutes by this robot. The robot was programmed to do one thing, find Sarah O Connor and then kill her. It didn’t matter whom or what got in its way it had a mission to accomplish.

I don’t know why my older brothers allowed me to watch this movie, or how my mom didn’t find out we were watching it, but even at a young age I was amazed with this robots determination. Nothing could stop it, the reason it existed was very clear. I would have dreams about the former governor of California chasing me, and me not being able to escape. The robot was programmed with a purpose. The sole reason it existed was to carry out this purpose and move on.

I feel that there are too many people on this earth with no purpose in life. When you feel like you have nothing to live for it’s a lot easier to cease living. I don’t mean taking your own life (which obviously happens) I’m talking about discovering why you were created. Have you ever asked yourself, what’s the reason I’m here? What is my purpose in life? It has to be more than just punching a clock every day, going home, and then doing it again tomorrow.

I believe that we all have a purpose in life; some of us just haven’t discovered what that is yet. You hear all the time about people that die too young. Martin Luther King, JFK, there purpose on life was to spread a different message then what was being broadcast at the time. Their deaths actually caused more people to focus on the message. They are still remembered today, and the message still resonates with us all. They served their purpose on this earth and despite both of them leaving before their time the mission was accomplished.

I had the same mindset as the terminator starting my junior year in high school. I believed my only purpose in life was to play professional basketball. I had no other mission to accomplish. I would have been able to pay my families bills, and live comfortably without too many worries for the rest of my life. I was going through life blinded by what I thought my purpose was. Little did I know how wrong I was.

Injuries do a couple of different things to an athlete. Most athletes like me end up reflecting on their career. I looked back at my body of work all the way up until the day I got injured. Every memory for the most part was just about me. Yeah I thought about my teammates but I didn’t feel like I had an impact on them. Without my injury who knows when I would of discovered my true purpose in life.

After I started coaching basketball I realized why I’m here. My mission is to give back and help other people. Not just in basketball but in life. I’ve always been a pretty good listener. I enjoy not only talking to people, but hearing what they have to say. I learn every day from my friends and family just by listening. They’re millions of people that don’t have someone to talk to or help them through tough times. I want to be that person for them.

My life has meaning and purpose. I can’t have a bad day for fear that I won’t be upbeat for someone that’s having a worse one. So ask yourself this question.

What is your purpose in life? Are you going through life without one, or are you taking no prisoners every day making sure that your mission gets accomplished?