The Purpose of Purpose

Too often we go through life asking ourselves what our ‘purpose’ is. Why are we here, what are we meant to do? If we get far enough into this thought process, the next question is usually: how do I get to there from here?

The purpose of purpose is really very simple. We were born to be the best version of ourselves that we can possibly be. What that means for each individual is unique to each person.

It boils down to being content in our own skin. That is, of course, easier said than done – even for the most highly evolved and spiritual people. In fact it can be harder, because for those who walk the path close to Spirit the path is never an easy one.

There is one aspect of purpose that remains true, regardless of who you are. One must never use purpose for your own purpose. Yes, check your motives. Why do you do what you do? Why do you think you need what you need? The truth is most people look to others for their self-worth; they look to others to validate their own existence.

I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be honorable, to be compassionate. It is, after all, to matter: to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all – Leo C. Rosten

If the woman or man next to you is looking to you, for you to tell them who they are, and you are looking to them, to answer that same question, how can we ever truly figure out why we are here? And how will we ever know what our purpose is? Going about it by seeking the validation of others is useless; it serves no purpose.

If you really take a moment to consider life, we are either going too fast or too slow, all at the same time. Consequently, we really never get anywhere.

The only time you can get anywhere, ironically, is when you stop. Stop to smell the roses. Stop to think about where you are really going. Stop to think about what you really want. Just take a moment and stop.

Purpose can only catch up to you when you stop. If you are constantly trying to prove one thing or another, to this or that person, purpose can never truly find you, and thus you will spend half of your life wondering why you are not happy, or more importantly, why you are not contented?

Pleasing everyone else all the time is an exhausting job, and no, somebody does not have to do it. And really the motivation behind it defeats the purpose anyway, so why bother?