What Does It Mean To Live a Life Of Purpose?
What Does It Mean To Live a Life Of Purpose?
I think this is a very important question to contemplate, because we are taught by our societies that we need to find a purpose in life, to ‘become something’ or ‘become someone’. But what if the purpose of life is simply living?
We can rush from A to B and B to C, climbing ladders to success, wealth, and enlightenment, but still feel deeply unfulfilled. And could this be because we have set all visions in our minds as things to be attained, or places to arrive, and therefore miss the beauty of actually living, and the intimacy with life.
It’s a Curious Thing to Look Inside Your Mind & Observe Where Your Actions are Being Driven From.
Are they sprung from true passion, with no goal or reward in mind?
Are they arising out of fear of what you think you ‘should’ do, or have to do in order to fit into society, or please others, meet expectations?
Are your ambitions driven by the need to accomplish, or please the idea in your mind of what ‘success’ looks like?
When we contemplate such things without any judgment, we can get more honest with ourselves, and see what it is that is driving us, truly.
To me living on purpose is about showing up every day to what is in your heart. What is truly important to you right now. This day is truly all we ever have to work with.
So what is on your heart today?
What are you passionate about?
What do you get lost in for hours on end, and engage in with no end goal or attachment to an outcome?
I truly feel that these things that we are interested in for no explainable reason are life’s beauty experiencing and expressing through us. It’s like the living and the purpose are one, so life is the purpose.
How Do We Know What is Behind Our Actions?
I would say that usually, it comes down to three things:
LOVE, FEAR, OR NECESSITY.
We need to meet our basic needs, so this would come under necessity. Then you have fear as the driver, that feels like it needs to get something to be more; more complete, more recognized, more fulfilled, etc. Then there is love. Here I would say that love is intertwined with passion. Because of love and passion move with no agenda or motive. You know it’s love/passion moving you when you thoroughly enjoy something, do it for hours without tiring, and the concept of time melts away. You know it’s love/passion moving you when you would do that thing for free because the love and joy you get from doing it far outweigh any reward or payment.
Living with purpose won’t necessarily guarantee higher paychecks and fancy properties (not to say that you won’t have these too), but the fulfillment of listening to, and abiding in what feels true in your heart over the noise of society, is a reward in itself. The pull to be part of something bigger than a limited individual self, and question what’s really important each day positively impacts the world in ways wider and deeper than the mind can possibly conceive. Your love and the quality of your daily living is the beauty of life in motion, and that sets a shining example for future generations.
So, What Does It Mean To Live a Life Of Purpose? I say the purpose is not an object or a goal, but the purpose is in getting to know yourself so intimately, and living what is in your heart.
Can You Ask YourselfToday Honestly, What is Moving You?
Are you being lived by love and your unexplainable curiosity, or moved by hand-me-down ideas of ‘success’ and the idea of ‘becoming’?
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