If you’ve been feeling out of sorts,... A vague emptiness instead of fulfillment, or even just generally dissatisfied with the pursuit of external validation, tired of the weight of conforming to societal expectations, it might be time to embark on one of life’s greatest journeys- the quest to find one’s life’s purpose.
There comes a time where we must break free from societal norms and ask “what do I really want to do with my life?” For some this happens early in life and for many, this question only reveals itself in their later years, when they’ve done everything right, according to the script of conventional. Alas, a feeling of listlessness overcomes them or even a drive for more.
It is a tale as old as time and it threatens the very thread of one’s existence. If you’ve broken free and started to ask similar questions, you’ve taken the first step to figuring out the answer, as many never even get to this point.
But what does it mean? To find one’s life’s purpose?
Understanding the concept of purpose
Pablo Picasso defines the meaning of life as finding one’s gift and then giving it away. Dalai Lama claims the purpose of our lives is to be happy. And to Albert Schweitzer, the purpose of human life is to serve and show compassion to others. Personally, my definition is all three, and more.
From these definitions, one thing is clear- the purpose of life is a personal thing and a concept only you can clearly define, and then attain.
Self-reflection and personal values
The first step is self-reflection, figuring out the business of living. Why are you here?
We all need a why, a mission statement of sorts, something that motivates and guides our actions, and gives us a sense of direction and meaning.
So, what does living mean to you? I only came into my answer recently when I realized that to me, living is experiencing. Living is participating. It’s racking up experiences and therefore pursuing my multiple passions. Not letting life happen to me, and instead, seeing life as the ultimate adventure. Everything changed for me when I changed my perspective. For some, this realization comes slowly, an evolution of sorts, for others, it’s a wham-bam moment when everything just becomes crystal clear. And for the lucky few, the answer has always just been.
Take Savannah Vinson for example, who had always known she wanted to be a model. She eventually achieved this and expanded on this purpose by helping others achieve a similar dream with her casting agency. Or Manolo Costa who was dazzled by the finery of Hollywood stars in their outfits as a child and eventually, a career in fashion became his passion. For Duaa Gaber, the answer came on a trip to an African country while she was on vacation. But for Timothy Philips, the answer came while he was stranded on a bridge in traffic, very late for a meeting. His realization occurred when he discovered he had been asking the wrong question.
Maybe the question isn’t “What should you do with your life?” but instead, “Who do you want to be?”
Exploring and experiential experiments
Finding oneself is a task in and of itself and usually a murky one. Then it would follow that the best way to achieve clarity on the matter is to immerse oneself in experiences, enriching and instructive, as much as possible. Explore avenues, new and old, scary and comfortable. This would help in knowing what you enjoy, what serves you and how you could serve others as well.
Only then can you have enough clarity to ask yourself- If you could be anyone, If you had the opportunity to rewrite your current existence, who would you be? Barring expectations and limitations, what is the ultimate expression of value you could contribute to yourself and/or the world?
Reflecting on alignment and impact
As you ponder on this, make a list of all the things and experiences that spark joy and fulfillment. Dream big or small and figure out the common denominator(s) in your dreams. What are your ambitions and passions? What do you find fulfilling, enriching and enjoyable? What do you feel called to do? And where or how do all these align?
If there isn’t a clear alignment, it’s possible you have multiple purposes. Nevertheless, you’ll need to draw a trajectory of where you want to be from your current starting point, and come up with a plan of how you’ll get there, and pursue this path relentlessly.
Embracing the Journey
Pursuing this new found path might be very easy. Things could just fall into place, but it might also be a very difficult undertaking. We mostly grew up with the notion that “you can be anything you want to be.’ And while that may not necessarily ring true, you could modify this statement to “you could try to be anything you want to be''. And even though it might be a labor of love, the joy in the process could bring fulfillment. Who knows, your achievements might serve the purpose of acting as a stepping stone for others to follow in your footsteps and pursue a common dream.
That being said, the journey is different for everyone and if the timing seems a little off or late, forge ahead and enjoy the process in the meantime. Your purpose is probably still taking shape and it’ll come to you when it’s time..
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