It
is the same old story that does the rounds in every human being’s life span –
as children and as youngsters; we are trained to sell ourselves in the job
market, run the rat race and reach a situation wherein the only purpose of
earning money is money itself and nothing else. Then one fine day we find our
lives spinning out of control and are forced to take a very hard look at
ourselves and ask ourselves a very typically existential question – What is the
purpose of my life? Why am I here? Most of us never get the answer to this
question, which prompted sardonic men like Camus and Nietzsche to question the
very purpose of life at all. Do not fall into the trap of existentialists and
decide that life is meaningless. Try and find out the purpose of your life by
following these guidelines.
How to know Your Deeper Purpose in Life
Here’s
how to know why you are here on this earth and what is the deeper purpose of
your life:
Reflect Positive
You
will need to spend some time all by yourself and ask yourself what is it about
your life – personal, professional, and social – that you enjoy doing the most.
Ask yourself as to what it is that gives you true pleasure and makes you forget
everything else. Also, make a list (a physical one on paper – not a mental one
in your mind or a virtual one on Microsoft Word!) of all your passions and make
note of which of them you are still taking up seriously and which ones you have
left behind. For example actor Rahul Bose, though he pursued films as a career,
could not tear himself from his one true passion – rugby – and is a national
level rugby player. Keep in mind that participating in your passion along
with work and other commitments means seriously taking an active interest
in them – if your passion is cricket but your only means of participating is by
catching up on the IPL every season, you are not actively involved in it.
Reflect Negative
Do
not get confused by the subtitle into thinking that to find the purpose of
your life, you need to brood over what you regret, lost or disliked about the
life that you have led. It just needs you to recognize what makes you unhappy
and what areas of your life don’t feel right to you. For example, your job may
be unfulfilling or you may be in an unhappy relationship. You will have to
write these thoughts down as well.
Who’s That In The Mirror?
Look
at your reflection in the mirror and ask yourself as to what kind of person do
you see in front of you. It goes without saying that a more metaphysical level
is being talked here rather than what are the physical attributes of the person
you see in the mirror. Even as you assess yourself in the mirror, think about
the type of person that you want to be and make a list of the goals and dreams
you’d like to fulfill. Consider all the possibilities and don’t be afraid
to dream big.
This Or That?
Now
that you know all you need to know, it is decision-making time. Also, begin
making changes to work toward your life purpose. For example, if you’ve come to
the realization that you’re not happy with your current career and that it
doesn’t fulfill your personal values or dreams, make a plan of action to
transition into a new career that you’re passionate about.
