There are so many things that grab our daily attention. I could not help but to include this discussion in this article. We have been on something of a “trauma coaster” over the past two years. COVID-19 has radically changed our lives during this time. In 2020, protests for racial and social justice brought about a massive reckoning in this country in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. Less than a year ago we experienced a very divisive presidential election and transfer of power. Although law enforcement intelligence may have predicted what occurred at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, it still baffles the imagination that American citizens would storm the capitol building. And what rational person would have thought that local school board meetings could devolve into shouting matches over the wearing of masks. That's a little picture of where we sit today in this country. And the reality is the divisions, the schisms, and the divides that we see in this country will be with us for quite some time.
Despite this, and maybe because of this, it is important that you have a north star or an anchor to guide you along in such troubled times. That north star and anchor is purpose. Let me say right here, I get it! There is all manner of books: “purpose filled life,” “finding your purpose,” “living your purpose,” “purpose driven life,” and the list goes on! The condition that many of us are in may just be a quest to survive. Attempting to stay afloat lest we are swept away by the storms and hurricanes battering our lives. Yet that is the very reason we need to have some sense of purpose for our lives. Because the inverse is true: you can't wait for the storms, the tragedies, the traumas, the events out of our control to clear before we find purpose for our lives. It is by having purpose in our lives that we are better able to manage the inevitable storms that will batter our lives.
Purpose is one of the things that will help to ground us in these uncertain times. These are not just my musings; this is the science of well-being and resilience. Knowing and living out your purpose will make you much more capable of overcoming the life events that will require you to draw upon your resiliency tool kit.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines purpose as: “something set up as an object or end to be attained.” As a noun purpose is synonymous with ambition, aspiration, dream, goal, ideal, meaning, objective, and target. Although not synonyms, you could also add in raison d’etre, and mission. It is the thing or things you are living for. The thing that drives you and motivates you.
So how can you go about discovering and living out your purpose? First you should realize that your purpose is likely seasonal. It may slightly change over time as different seasons of your life emerge. One’s purpose at age twenty-five (if any) will likely be different at age forty-five, and different yet again at age sixty-five. Purpose can be the most elusive treasure of your life. But it is worth the hunt. Once unearthed you will be magnetically drawn to it. It will be all encompassing.
It is likely that your purpose has been quietly lying inside of you all along, waiting to be discovered. Take some time and reflect on your life. Look for small connections over the years that have always been present. B-VIPS are beliefs, values, interests, and principles. What are the B-VIP's that have consistently shown up in your life over time. What are your passions, proficiencies, and productivities? Your purpose won’t be a struggle. There are certain things that you are naturally gifted at that will serve as a pathway. What are you curious about? What do (or would) you do that you enjoy so much that you would do it without pay or compensation? Finally, make sure that you are looking at all domains of your life. Explore the domains of personal life, volunteerism/civic engagement, hobbies, and recreational activities. By exploring these areas, you will open pathways to better understand what your purpose might be.
Your purpose may be different from your profession or career, or it may be in alignment with your profession or career. For example, David is an accountant at a management company. He is proficient at what he does, he is paid well, and it provides the resources to support his family. But he is not really passionate about that work. However, after work on weeknights and weekends he volunteers teaching financial literacy to youth. He comes alive when he is serving in this capacity. David is using his professional skill set to advance volunteerism that he is extremely passionate about. For David his purpose – in this season of his life – is his volunteerism that is leveraged through his professional experience. However, at some point David may realize that his purpose has the capacity to be profitable. Whatever format the venture takes, David would be able to achieve his purpose, with passion, while profiting from the venture – what an ideal scenario! But there are also occasions when that may not be true. Let’s look at Angela.
Angela loved baking and was good at it. Angela would always bake delicious treats for her co-workers. For any event at her church, she would bake several cakes at a time. Even those who did not know her personally, knew of “The Cake Lady.” She would donate cakes for auctioning at local fundraising events. Everyone prodded her to start selling her cakes and go into business for herself. But Angela knew her truth – she did this for joy and for the joy that it brought to those who enjoyed her treats. Really it was not even about the food. It was about the comfort, the hospitality, the love. The thought of scaling up, developing pricing, securing commercial facilities, and managing employees took the joy from it. She knew her purpose – providing comfort and love through homemade baked goods - and she would not stray from it.
For certain your purpose shouldn't drain you. It should motivate you, drive you, and bring you satisfaction. When you are in your “zone” or “flow” time should stop. Weekdays and weekends meld into one another. Mondays are no longer dreaded. Of course, you will always face challenges, and anything worth pursuing will have its rough times. But it is something that you will look forward to.
Our individual purposes are as unique as the stars flung upon the dark night sky. When you think of the gift of humanity as given to us by divinity it is quite special. A bear can't pilot a spacecraft into orbit, a cow can't develop a microchip with phenomenal computing power, and a rabbit can't give a musical performance that will bring an audience to tears. We should cherish our gift of humanity and hopefully this troubled decade is inspiring us to reflect upon and live a life with more purpose. It is said that the universe will make room for our gifts, and I suggest that it will also make room for our purpose.
Finally, I offer to you the words of philosopher and theologian Howard Thurman: “Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Reflection Questions:
What makes you come alive?
What more could you do or what more could you become if you came alive?
What would your life look like if you came alive?
What would you miss out on if you did not come alive?
How could the world – yes, the world – benefit if you came alive?