Purpose...Don't Believe the Hype!
Posted on March 14, 2011 by Veronica Forsman, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Where is our purpose derived from?
Is purpose simply a part of who you are or is it what you do?
Purpose…Don’t Believe the Hype!
It seems though that today I’m musing on this idea of purpose and I just had to share I with you.
What do we derive our purpose from? I’m thinking this through as I am wondering what drives us each and every day to get up out of bed and be happy. If you have no sense of purpose…can you be happy? I’ve spoken on happiness before, this idea that we choose happiness; make our own happiness as it is. Happiness does not just come to us, does not just exist in our life because our life seems to make sense at some points (and let’s not get started on that topic!) We choose…and so, what do we make then of the idea that we also choose purpose each and every day. That there is no magic fairy that sprinkles purpose on some and leaves the rest, the Universe did not derive some sick sense of pleasure by missing you on the purpose-giving handout. God does not give purpose to some and not to others. We choose.
Each of us has this innate feeling inside of us, a need if you will, to know that we have some kind of purpose for living on this earth. Some, many would say, go on a mission to understand their purpose in this life and work hard at trying to achieve that purpose, that goal that leaves a person feeling like they have accomplished something and so their life has meaning after all! Do you know what I mean here? Or perhaps at this point I am just rambling on…you get the point, right?
So here’s what’s kicking around in me…Where do we derive our purpose from?
I’m wondering if in all of the hype around purpose, at the end of the day, most derive their purpose from what they know and trust best – What they do each and every day.
For most, it is their job or ‘career’. They get up out of bed already turning over in their minds what they have to do when they get to work. It’s important after all, and hey, there is a pay check at the end of all that ‘purpose’.
For some it is their children. They live to grow these small wondrous beings into people who will make a difference in the world, deriving their sense in purpose in the hope they are getting ‘it’ right, but always with this fear of screwing up.
For others still, it is sense of trying to figure out how to change the world into a happier, safer, greener, starvation free, hatred free, altogether-as-one loving world…
I can’t help but wonder…what if you aren’t any of those I’ve just listed or any of those I haven’t?
What if you are just an individual who likes their job just fine, is a good and decent person working to get through the day, never mind have tomorrow all figured out. Where should, would, could you derive your purpose from?
Is purpose simply a part of who you are or is it what you do?
And if I was to ask you to tell me who you are…could you tell me?
I can’t help but wonder if we are meant to have a grand purpose at all. That if instead, we live each moment, each day out creating purpose, that we might then live a much more fulfilling life and the pressure we then continually place on ourselves can’t help but diminish.
As you muse on this with me today, I’d love to hear your thoughts and beliefs around this idea of purpose…is it just hype??
I’ll leave this with you today…
Purpose is defined in the dictionary as “The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal”
“And ever those, who would enjoyment gain/Must find it in the purpose they pursue” (Sarah Josepha Hale).
