You are here: Home | Spirituality | What is My Purpose
What is My Purpose?
"What is my purpose?" seems to be one of the deeper questions we ask ourselves on a fairly regular basis. For those who are already quite advanced in terms of self growth, it's even more common... consuming many of their daily thoughts. The answer to that question could only and clearly be answered by you; This last statement does make things a little frustrating, as we're constantly seeking guidance from others, sometimes from complete strangers. It's almost as though we're avoiding our own input on the subject. In this article, I'll do my best to outline the process of not only finding your purpose, but finding yourself as well.
Let me start by saying that in persevering through fear, doubt, and worry... all sorts of events will take place in your life, each playing a vital role in guiding you towards your real purpose. "What is my purpose?" is important, and yet countless people will try to steer you away from the question. The path, therefore, will NOT be all fun and games; It's quite the opposite actually. Then, is it worth pursuing? Yes, of course! Let me explain. Simply put, tough times can't (and shouldn't) be dodged (or buried in a pile of denial) in your quest to finding yourself.
You'll fail, and fall, and get back up, and move forward (more than once) all because of that initial intent, that gut instinct if you will, that is pushing you in the direction of one egotistical desire, or in other words, your personal dream. But keep in mind that this desire is not your purpose, however crucial it is to the path towards correctly answering "What is my purpose?".
At this point you're probably wondering why I'm labeling your dream as 'egotistical' in nature. My explanation can be summed up by saying that we shouldn't look at things as good or bad; Instead, everything is playing a vital role in the prosperous development of yourself in relation to the world.
You will eventually come to realize (if you haven't done so already) that what we're seeking is often for ourselves only. We either have a material goal set forth (often in the form of money), or a personal achievement of some sort based on our gifts (like an artistic, musical, or sports-related accomplishment, for example). Unfortunately, these types of me-centered luxuries fail to benefit the world, and that's because we haven't reached the point of understanding how what we do is for others, not the other way around.
This is why I generally see our purpose as two-fold, a first-level purpose, and a second-level purpose (or higher-level purpose, rather). In a nutshell, we start off by wanting something only for ourselves, until finally the journey forces us to become sympathetic, empathetic individuals now desiring to use what we have to help others fill their needs (usually more so than their wants). Sounds complicated, I know; The reason is that it can't be understood at an intellectual level - You have to experience it, hence life.
Without moving to an entirely different topic, it's worth mentioning that life has its own purpose which is to teach us, and to help us grow spiritually. Focusing all of your energy and efforts on this idea is not necessary; All you have to do is experience - persevere, persist, listen to that inner voice... and you will find the response to "What is my purpose?". And when it's revealed to you, and it will be, struggles and suffering will begin to subside.
The tricky part is cultivating your talents, along with accepting prosperity into your life, to better serve the planet. Only then will energy flow freely and continually through you. If you've already found your purpose, great! But there's still some work to be done. Life itself will be your teacher until you've reached the point of not needing one, where inspired action becomes a part of every single movement you make. Even your thoughts and feelings will be more pure and genuine.
It should also be noted that how great the accomplishments and results is somewhat irrelevant. We are all here to do what we're supposed to do (or should I say, destined to do) and this is more than satisfactory in one's lifetime. The world really does benefit from your dream, your gifts, and your efforts when the intention of producing a positive outcome is shifted towards them, for them. In turn, there is no greater feeling of bliss, inner peace, and individual strength (if there aren't better words to accurately describe the rewards), that derive from helping others.
"I want to create a world that I want to see!" - Maggie Doyne