Charles Dickens was struggling with writing and also struggling financially. He felt he lacked purpose in his work. This all changed when he was inspired to write the classic, A Christmas Carol. (buy here: https://amzn.to/2DwljEu)
He was a young author, and was having less success with his work than before. He received less royalties, and was worried about how he was going to meet his financial obligations. To get his mind off things, he would walk the streets at night. There he would be reminded from time to time of his childhood when he was forced to work in a factory to support the family as his father was in debtors prison. He was worried that he, too, may have to repeat that crippling poverty he experienced as a child.
It seemed to him like the answer to his lack of success or financial problems was obvious – he just needs to quickly write and sell something. It was true, however it was difficult to know what to write and how quickly he could write it. He was so worried about his problems that it was difficult to invent something to write about. He just couldn’t concentrate.
Then on his walks at night he witnessed children being forced to work in factories. He began to forget about his thoughts of needing to make money in the present and began to think about his own past, preset, and future. He imagined himself as a young boy again working in a factory and longing for a different life. He wondered what could be done. He then wrote A Christmas Carol, on of the most inspirational stories o Christmas aside those of the nativity itself.
The story had become a reflection of what he hoped and envisioned his own life could be. The story brought a change in his life, and he was determined that the story should be shared with everyone. The thoughts of money, debts, and financial means left him and he focused on sharing this story to those of even the most modest of means. He had changed. He had purpose, a purpose that transcended himself. And that changed everything. He is now one of the world’s most celebrated authors.
THE LESSON HERE
It’s easy to become distracted and lose sight of our purpose when we are focused on ourselves. But when we step back and consider how we can help and serve others, the feeling of purpose drowns out our own worries as Dickens’ desire to share this life-changing story with everyone did for him.
Sources
I was reading The 8th Habit by Stephen R. Covey when I learned of this story. So, I have him and his team to thank. There is actually a great video about this story that goes with the book. The 12 min video is free to watch and can be found at…
https://resources.franklincovey.com/the-8th-habit/discovery-of-character
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