Finding Your Purpose In Life

Finding Purpose

 

‘As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being’ – Carl Jung.

 

I had read a book which inspired me to have the following conversation with a close friend.

It went something like this:-

‘What makes me a good friend of yours’? 

He responded ‘you tell people how it is, I trust you.’

I wasn’t satisfied with that; although a compliment, I knew there was something else. 

I asked, ‘What makes me a unique friend’?

He said ‘You are the only person I know who asks me questions that act as a mirror in my own life. You can tell that the amount you study and research reflects in how you approach life. You inspire me to learn more and become a more evolved soul’.

I know, I know, tooting my own horn. It was from that moment that I genuinely began designing my life.

I heard about that exercise from Simon Sinek. His books ‘Start with Why‘ and ‘Find Your Why‘ are excellent and are highly recommended. 

 

Have you ever come to a decision in life and not known which way to go? 

Should I start that business?

Should I move away?

Should I leave work?

Should I start a family?

Should I diet?

Should I buy a new car?

Should I book a holiday?

 

We all ask similar questions, but we are in danger of losing the big picture. Taking it further, I’d actually suggest most don’t know what the big picture is. We are so involved on the battlefield that we cannot see our next strategic move. 

The why behind making any decision is more important than what the decision entails. 

There is a trade-off when you begin structuring your thinking this way. By asking ‘why’ before everything you do, you tend to say ‘no’ to the majority of things that present themselves. That isn’t to say you’ll miss opportunities because, naturally, you’ll use your discernment as to whether the moment moves you towards your highest ideals. Will the opportunity move you towards or away your ideal end?

 

‘The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away’ – Pablo Picasso.

 

How can we make clear and decisive actions if we do not know what we want from life and the meaning we want to give it? Only once you have this crystal-clear clarity can you make these decisions as they present themselves. 

 

Why do you do what you do?

Having worked with many individuals and organisations; I can say with certainty that taking the time to step back and determine the outcome desired will open up a new world of opportunity. The way you make decisions, the ideas you move forward with, and the immediate battle becomes a breeze. 

 As mentioned, the reason why you do something is more important than the act of doing. Numerous troubles may occur while doing, but if you know the end and are inspired by it, no adversity will stop its manifestation. This is why the path you are walking needs to be an individual one, not filtered through the lens of society. 

 

What meaning are you deciding to give life and the path you walk this instant?

 

Other people’s roads are their own and those that society has given them. Notice how ‘success’ is generally seen as financial and material (in the west at least). There is absolutely nothing wrong with that either by the way. Yet, the question – where has this come from, and why doesn’t it seem to be making people happy? I’d suggest it is because most folks are rooted in the trance of the world, never quietened their mind for longer than 30 minutes to ask any meaningful questions.

 

‘Because you are not really thinking about existence and being, you are not really thinking at all’ – Michael Tsarion

 

So, if you are walking the path of the world, the one that leads to nowhere; the hypnotic trance, then it is time to shock yourself into your own magnificence. Your purpose must be unique and so compelling to you than anybody else’s path would be of no interest. Comparing your trail to that of others is futile.

This is the difference between inspiration and motivation. 

  

Five Exercises to Find Your Purpose

1) Define what success looks like to you

John Wooden was a basketball coach in the USA. He is considered to be one of the greatest coaches of all time. He won hundreds of awards and titles during his life, and his philosophies changed the sporting world. Along with being a coach, he was a teacher and philosopher. 

 He defined success as follow – 

‘Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.’

‘Success is peace of mind….’. Incredibly powerful. 

 

What is your version of success?

Would it be bringing up children who can contribute to the conscious elevation of humanity?

Would it be to put men on Mars?

Would it be to care for the elderly?

I did a podcast episode with Dr Jeremy Ayres; a Naturopath. It is so clear by listening to him how he sees his purpose in life. Take a listen and grasp how passionate he is with his mission.

Write down what success means to you. Take as long as you need and write down whatever comes up. If you begin to catch yourself falling back into societies hypnosis, you are on your way to self-sovereignty. Awareness is the first step. 

 

2) How do you want to live?

I have a friend who is a great entrepreneur, he has started and succeeded with numerous businesses. He takes full responsibility with everything in his life, and his leadership style inspires me. When I asked him why he does his work, he couldn’t answer the question to his own satisfaction. 

 

“The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases.” – Carl Jung

 

Having encouraged him to visit the local Buddhist temple over a month or so, he opened up and said –

 “I have always liked the idea of having a smaller business, far less responsibility and being able to run it from anywhere in the world.”

To which I replied, “why aren’t you doing it then, you have the resources”?

“Because I look up to successful entrepreneurs who achieve a lot and have been trying to emulate that since I have left school” was his response. 

His ego resisted a little and began comparing himself to other people. Societies hypnosis had filtered its way into his psyche. Comparing ourselves to others is the sure road to unhappiness.

Your straight and narrow path isn’t an emulation of someone else. 

My friend said he wanted to travel the world while running a small business with little responsibility. Yet, he had designed his life in such a way as to keep him fixed in one location and juggling a lot of responsibility. There is an incongruency there, getting clear allows you to design and live on purpose.

So, begin to look at how you would like to live.

What work would you do?

Where would you live?

Who would be with you, if anyone?

Take the first 15 minutes every morning upon rising for the next week, write down how you would like to live in an ideal world. After a couple of weeks, it will start painting a picture. 

 

3) The Best Day Ever

What would your ideal day look like? This will give you a daily roadmap to the big picture. 

Just be careful not to make it too rosy. Life is an adventure, if everything went smoothly, it’d be boring. From the moment you wake up until you rest your head to sleep at night, plan a perfect day in your eyes. 

Write it down in as much detail as possible. And then ask yourself, are you moving towards this type of day at the moment? Or running away from it?

 

4) Notice what inspires you in others

I remember reading 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene and feeling how much work and effort had gone into it. I since found out that it took around it took him around 4 years to write, including countless hours of research, notetaking and introspection. It humbled me.  

Since that one book, I have held myself to a higher standard and do everything for my highest ideal. It inspired me to be more and do more. My level of research in fields that appeal to me the most has gone much more in-depth. I take more time in creating things, rather than being impatient, trying to get everything completed as quickly as possible. 

 Who inspires you? 

What characteristics of those people is it that inspires you? 

Can you see those traits in yourself?

 

5) What are you Prepared to Lose?

I am apparent with my consultancy clients that transcending the levels of consciousness is a destructive process. And once you find your end and begin to walk it, you will need to be prepared for the inevitable sacrifices that walking the path entails.

When I started following what was in my heart, my friend’s group changed overnight. I stopped resonating with people who I had grown up, and a new group of friends began to form by the shift in consciousness. This is all an inside out job. The external world reflects your level of being. 

 

‘He who has a why to live for can bear almost anyhow.’

 ― Friedrich Nietzsche

 

How compelling is your path? Are you prepared to lose everything to walk your Siddhartha Road?

Gautama Siddhartha left his wife and his family in search of liberation and spiritual enlightenment. His son was a baby when he made that decision. Once Gautama had achieved liberation, he taught philosophy, spirituality and founded Buddhism. The Buddha (the enlightened one) has changed billions of people’s lives by knowing his destination and being willing to give up everything in its way.   

From 1-10, write down what level of responsibility you are willing to take to find and live your purpose. If the number is low, your objective isn’t compelling enough to you.

 

Start with these five exercises. You will thank yourself in years to come. Doing this type of introspective work turns your life into an art piece, and you can become a strategic master in painting your own picture. 

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