Thinking About Your Life's Purpose

Defining and Describing Your Life's Purpose 

Buddha is one individual who did give the purpose of life a great deal of thought. He concluded, "Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it." 

Note how this instruction from Buddha can be individually interpreted and actioned by each of us. Rather than proclaiming a universal purpose, goal or deed applicable to all, this decree dictates that every individual on earth has his or her own unique purpose. 

These thoughts are at the heart of the Project You Life Journey. Each of us has our own journey to make, one that is hopefully aligned with our true life purpose. Only you can determine your own life purpose, and therefore only you can determine the journey you take as a sentient being. 

When your journey is not in alignment with your life's purpose, your spirit is not at ease and the repercussions are felt emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Typical symptoms are anxiety, fear, angst, indecisiveness, low energy, emotional outbursts, and vengeful thinking.

The opposite of this, when you are solidly in tune and on track with your life's purpose, is called flow. Everything seems easier to do, there is an abundance of synchronicity in your life, and optimism and positive people far outweigh pessimism and negative people. As Mark Victor Hansen, co-author of the famed Chicken Soup for the Soul series wrote, "When you have a clear purpose, you won't have time for negativity."

How you define or describe your life's purpose is critical for creating A Determined Life. In essence, A Determined Life is one that seeks to deliver upon your life's purpose. 

Note that we didn't say "achieve" your life's purpose, for the concept here is that your life's purpose is not a destination, but rather a journey you continue until your final breath (or into the hereafter if you believe you are a spiritual being having a human experience here on earth).

But even if you do not believe in a life or universe after death and accept the scientific theory that this life was randomly created as a result of a cosmic big bang, this does not prevent you from conceptualizing your own life's purpose, nor from establishing your own Determined Life journey.

Not Living A Determined Life results in a suboptimal existence. It means falling short of your potential and not living in sync with your life's purpose, or even becoming aware of your life's true purpose. As theologist Ben Herbster said, "The greatest waste in the world is the difference between what we are and what we could become."

Not many people fully grasp their life's purpose, for the simple reason that few ever invest sufficient time to deeply understand themselves and their purpose for being in this world at a particular time and place. Regularly thinking about your life's purpose, however, is a highly recommended activity. This is the only way to ensure your life's journey is aligned with your true life purpose. 

One who has done so is poet Maya Angelou, who says, "My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." 

This article is partially excerpted from the book Project You: Living A Determined Life, available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle formats.