I had the pleasure of attending the Super Bowl in my home state of Minnesota in February, and went to many of the parties and events leading up to the big game. One of my favorites is Taste of the NFL, which made its debut in 1992, when Minneapolis first hosted the Super Bowl.

My friend Wayne Kostroski, a successful Minneapolis restaurateur, started Taste of the NFL to address the needs of the hungry and homeless by raising awareness and money through programs and special events. Wayne saw the opportunity to use the world stage to help those who could not be part of the Super Bowl festivities. Through his masterful persuasion, he initiated one of the most anticipated and delicious annual events of the big week.

Chefs and players donate their skills for a party that raises big bucks to help kick hunger, which affects one out of six people in our country. The beneficiaries are the Feeding America-affiliated food banks in each of the NFL team cities, as well as other hunger relief organizations. More than $25 million has been raised over the last 26 years, more than $1 million again this year.

There are plenty of parties during Super Bowl week. But this one is different. That’s why Wayne calls it “A party with a purpose.”

Everyone needs a purpose in life. Mine is helping people through business advice from my books, speeches and this nationally syndicated column. Many people have asked me over the years -- and especially the sales reps at our envelope manufacturing company -- why I share many success secrets. My answer is always the same: I’m happy to offer guidance on business principles and achieving success. I am grateful to those who mentored me, and I have made it my purpose to help people reach their potential.

To discover your true purpose in life -- not your job or your goals -- you’ll just need 20 minutes, says personal growth specialist Steve Pavlina. What he’s talking about, he says, is answering the question of why you are here on the planet.

Pavlina learned about finding purpose in a pretty dramatic way. When he was 19, he found himself in jail for felony grand theft. When he got out of jail, he learned that he'd been kicked out of school. Then, he says, something clicked. He woke up and grew up instead of giving up. He took responsibility for his actions, and he’s not in jail or living a life of crime. Instead, he’s helping others find their way to more meaningful lives.

To find your purpose here’s what he says to do: Write or type the question, “What is my purpose in life?” Then write whatever pops into your head. Repeat this process -- keep writing answers -- until you hit one that raises your emotion. You’ll know when you’ve got it, he says.

Life coach Shannon Kaiser has another approach: You can’t think your way into finding your life purpose; you have to do your way into it. “The more we act, the more we get clear on things,” she explains. “So start taking steps toward your goals and start trying new things ... The experience is the reward; clarity comes through the process of exploring. Action is where you get results.

“Let go of thinking there is only one purpose for you, and embrace the idea that our purpose in life is to love life fully,” Kaiser says. “When we live a passion-filled life, we are living on purpose, and that is the purpose of life.”

People with a strong sense of purpose know what they want, why they want it, and how they plan to achieve it. Purpose-driven people get in the habit of doing things they don’t like to do in order to accomplish the purpose they have defined for themselves.

Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel made a fortune inventing powerful explosives and marketing them to governments for weapons development. But when a newspaper accidentally ran his obituary instead of his late brother’s, he was concerned that he would be remembered as the man who created methods of death and destruction.

So he set out to find his real purpose. He established the Nobel Prize to reward accomplishments in the arts and sciences that would benefit humanity.

Mackay’s Moral: A life with a purpose is a life full of promise.

President Lyndon Johnson was famous for his well-developed ego. There's an old story that one day he was stopped by a Texas patrolman for speeding. When the patrolman came closer to Johnson’s car and saw who was driving, he reportedly exclaimed, “Oh, my God!!”

Looking straight at the patrolman, Johnson replied, “And don’t you forget it!”

Unfortunately, many leaders get chapped lips from kissing the mirror too often. They worship their self-creation too much.

I have a different way of talking about ego in my speeches. If you think you’re indispensable, I tell people, stick your finger in a bowl of water and watch the hole it leaves when you pull it out.

I’m not saying that all ego is bad. It isn’t. Everyone should have enough confidence/ego to stand on their own. It’s what defines you and gives you spark, creativity and individuality. There’s nothing wrong with having drive, passion and excitement. Those are all good. But don’t confuse ego with arrogance. Where people get into trouble with ego is when it is misused.

I like to share this reality check with my audiences: When you put yourself on a pedestal and let your ego get the best of you, just remember that the size of your funeral will depend largely on the weather.

Former pro wrestler turned movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, said: “Check your ego at the door. The ego can be the great success inhibitor. It can kill opportunities, and it can kill success.”

Think about those words. Do any of us have too many opportunities or too much success? No. Do any of us have too much ego? Yes.

There are some telltale signs that your ego is out of control. For example, do you complain frequently? Do you need to find fault with things both large and small just to get your fingerprints on a project? That might be a sign you need to take a step back.

If being judgmental is your hallmark, ask yourself why your ideas are superior to everyone else’s. I’m not referring to the everyday assessments that managers and committees need to perform. But when snarky is the norm, muzzle yourself. Arguing and fighting with others doesn’t usually provide the desired results. If you have productive suggestions, make them respectfully.

Make every effort not to be a know-it-all. Because you can’t -- know it all, that is. You can know a lot, or be at expert level, or maybe you even “wrote the book” on a topic. But it’s usually more effective to let someone else brag you up. You achieve better credibility when others toot your horn.

When the shoe is on the other foot, how does your ego show itself? Being defensive when you are criticized is unprofessional and immature. Instead of blaming others, learn to listen to them and see how much they have to contribute. Give your co-workers or subordinates a chance to shine to prove that your ego is not in the way of success.

Holding grudges won’t get you anywhere either. If you plan to keep working with the same people, you really have to work at working with them. Get over yourself! I can tell you from my own experience, sooner or later you will need their help. If you have burned your bridges, you will have a tough time getting assistance when you need it.

Once you figure out that you may have been wrong or overstepped a boundary, be willing to apologize. A little humility is always welcome, as long as it’s sincere. Admit your mistakes and offer whatever help or support you can.

Let’s put this in a nutshell. If you want to overcome your ego, you need to learn to let go.

-- Let go of being offended at every little thing.

-- Let go of the need to win and be right all the time.

-- Let go of the need to be superior.

-- Let go of identifying yourself by your achievements and reputation.

There are also a few things to keep.

-- Keep your temper in check.

-- Keep your sense of humor.

-- Keep your tone respectful.

-- Keep your mind and ears open.

A man once told Buddha, “I want happiness.”

Buddha replied: “First remove ‘I’; that’s ego. Then remove ‘want’; that’s desire. And now all you’re left with is happiness.”

Mackay’s Moral: Get over yourself before you trip over yourself.

I’m back with another installment of street smarts, those skills that go beyond what is taught in school -- the lessons we learn by experience and practice. Never underestimate the value and importance of “extracurricular” education.

First idea: Don’t be afraid to make a decision. Be afraid NOT to make a decision. Good judgment is a critically important skill for any person to have, but especially for those in leadership positions. Good judgment is such an important attribute that it is often listed first by employers as a required quality of job applicants.

In business, the success or failure of the organization hinges on judgments made at all levels. Good judgment is the ability to make the best decision possible based on the information you have, without being swayed by others or predetermined ideas.

What kind of a decision-maker are you? Take a few minutes to contemplate the question, because once you become aware of how you make (or don’t make) decisions, you will be more apt to make wiser choices in the future.

Next idea: Never make a decision until you have to. Always bargain for more time to postpone doom. Things can change over time.

For example, there once was a king who was trying to find someone who could teach his horse to fly. As the king was conducting court one day, two guards dragged in a beggar who had just stolen a loaf of bread.

The king said, “Take him away and chop his head off!” As he was being dragged away, the beggar said, “But my king, I can teach your horse to fly. Just give me two years.”

“Granted,” the king said.

As the beggar is being carted out, a guard quizzically asks him, “Why did you promise that?”

“Look ... In two years, I may be dead. The king may be dead. Or who knows, maybe I can teach the horse to fly!”

Next idea: Practice the Rule of 10,000. This rule helps determine whether something can’t be done or whether someone doesn’t care enough to get it done.

The Rule of 10,000 says, “If I give you an extra $10,000 to get to work by 8 a.m. for six months straight, can you do it?” Watch how fast the obstacles disappear, contingencies are set up, departure time from home is earlier and so on.

You don’t necessarily give people $10,000, but it’s a good way to see if something is possible.

Next idea: Always put the pressure on yourself and tell everyone what your goals are. I do this with all kinds of projects. It’s great motivation.

Next idea: You can take any amount of pain, as long as you know it will end. For example, I was running the Twin Cities Marathon several years back when a woman stopped me with two miles to go and said she wasn’t sure she could finish. She said, “Mr. Mackay, motivate me!” I gave her the above thought on pain as we ran side-by-side, and we both made it.

Next idea: It’s not the people you fire who make your life miserable ... it’s the people you don’t fire who make your life miserable. And whenever I say that, I get more amens than a Billy Graham sermon.

Next idea: Maximize your education dollars. When your company sends its people to conferences, make sure you get maximum value. At our company, we insist that our people come back from conferences and teach the rest of the staff what they learned. This way we get a terrific return on our investment.

Next idea: Never give an ultimatum unless you mean it. A close friend shared this story of a high stakes negotiation. He was living in Minnesota and wanted desperately to buy one of his competitors in Los Angeles. He had information that whatever his bid was, the owners had a local businessman who would bid for the business as a wedge to get the price up.

There was a summit conference call with the six owners plus my friend to negotiate and finalize a price. Then came the knockout blow. My friend bid 15 percent to 20 percent percent more for the company than his previous proposal, but his new offer was on the table during the call only. The buyers could either accept it or not. The offer was so good, the owners decided to take it. They weren’t going to chance it on their friend matching it.

Mackay’s Moral: Use your street smarts to outsmart your competition.