The value of having an individual goal – or purpose – has been around since the beginning of time. But conversation and discussion about purpose and its power has recently exploded, as evidenced by the astonishing sales record – 9 million copies sold – of Rick Warren’s 2002 bestseller, The Purpose Driven Life. Everyone, it seems, would like to have a life filled with more meaning.

In this decade of war, mistrust, corporate scandal, excessive greed, and high unemployment, it appeared that the 21st century was starting out on a shaky foot. What could be done to steer people to humanitarian service? What public policy should be changed to improve lives? How could people be persuaded to help a neighbor, instead of focusing only on their own needs? How could an idea from one single individual blossom into a group working as a team toward a noble goal?

These questions, and others, planted the seeds for a writing contest to revisit why we need purpose, why we want purpose and how we can turn it into a result with active power. It was decided that everyone in the world should have the opportunity to enter the contest; and that, in an effort to keep it manageable for the writer, an essay – short – format would be used. It was further decided that the money offered in the prize pool would be extremely substantial, far exceeding most writing contest awards, to ensure that the importance and impact of purpose be made resoundingly clear.

This vision is being brought to life by the competition’s management staff of six based in Atlanta, GA and the staff of the John Templeton Foundation based in Radnor, PA. Following several months of discussion, web site design, and selection-criteria processing, The Power of Purpose Awards launched on November 18, 2003. The categories for submission include Personal Reflection, Journalistic Report, Scientific Inquiry, and Fiction.

Entries will be accepted from November 18, 2003 to midnight on May 31, 2004. The winners will be announced in September 2004. The theme of the essays is The Power of Purpose, the selfless energy that drives each person to aspire and work toward beneficial and noble goals. The grand prize is US$100,000 with 18 other awards totaling US$400,000. The competition especially encourages journalists, opinion makers, scientists, religious leaders, and educators to enter, including retirees and young adults. Award-winners will be selected by the distinguished panel of judges, all of whom are exemplars of purpose.

The visionary behind The Power of Purpose Awards: A Worldwide Essay Competition is Sir John Templeton, the pioneer of the global mutual fund, who established the John Templeton Foundation in 1987 to fund projects that explore the mysteries and links between science, theology, and human beliefs.

Book packagers, also known as book producers, are some of the most valuable players on the creative side of the publishing industry. Creating complicated books is a labor-intensive craft that often involves whole teams of writers, editors, designers, illustrators, and researchers whose separate contributions must be integrated into a seamless whole. These projects include heavily illustrated volumes, books with unique printing needs, or books with unusual paper engineering. Book packagers are visionary as well, conceiving and developing the books they create. The packager often initiates the project with the publisher.

Lionheart Books, Ltd. President Michael Reagan was the former Executive Vice President and Publisher of Turner Publishing, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS). While at Turner, he was responsible for developing the publishing company, which published more than 200 books including The New York Times bestseller Moon Shot by Alan Shepard and Deke Slaton, Hoop Dreams by Ben Joravsky, Dinotopia by James Gurney, and The Native Americans edited by Alvin Josephy, Jr.