By Jerry Lopper
When we gain clarity of life purpose we put in place the foundation for an easy life. An easy life is not a life of leisure, but a life devoted to activities congruent with purpose. With purpose we are focused, energetic, and fulfilled by our daily activities, even as we expend huge amounts of energy, which we tend to do with purpose-serving activities.
The Two Questions
At some time in life every human being confronts two questions: “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” Faced with the magnitude and complexities of life we try to understand the confusing and contradictory declarations and definitions for successful living we hear around us. But we’re looking in the wrong place. The answers are not outside of us, but deep within.
We crave to locate our unique position in the Universe–the “who am I?” question. Each of us possesses, from birth, a fundamental identity that separates us from others. These characteristics do not render us better or worse than others, simply different–with a unique ability to offer excellence in some form to human-kind.
At first thought, it might seem that self understanding should come easily. After all, haven’t we lived with ourselves all our lives? But environment, culture, and upbringing seem to conspire to keep self understanding a secret, something to discover only after an arduous journey. We are born with special abilities and characteristics—our uniqueness—but then we submit to the instructions of life taught by our parents, teachers, coaches, friends, and culture. Our uniqueness is covered, layer upon layer, by the characteristics treasured, honored, and acceptable to our surroundings.
Regain Understanding of Who You Are
To understand who you are at your core, reverse the process, peeling off each layer until your core is once again visible. Meditation is the starting point for this process. It is only with a quiet mind that we can clearly hear the inner messages of who we are.
Recalling activities and situations which bring great joy–fulfilling pleasure–will stimulate the process of self understanding, as will recalling what we did for fun when we were young. With the understanding of our unique assets–those traits that enable us to excel–we will naturally progress to our purpose in life–that vocation which utilizes our strengths in pursuit of purpose.
These, then, are the fundamental steps to understanding purpose in life:
* Meditate to hear your inner wisdom
* Reflect on your personal, fulfilling pleasures
* Recall the activities you loved when you were young
* Inventory your unique skills, those abilities at which you excel
* Assess your values, those characteristics of you that are non-negotiable
* Combine all these insights and look for the areas of life that combine passion, attraction, excellence, and value congruence.
* Remember that purpose is more about who you are being than the specific things you are doing
Purpose Brings Life to Life
Without vision and purpose in life our daily activities seem meaningless. Our lives become merely an endless succession of challenges to face and they become routine and uninspiring. With purpose clearly in mind, we are able to confront life’s challenges and move past them, knowing that we have something important to return to. This keeps us centered and strong. With purpose, our decisions come easier. We simply pick the decision that best fits who we are and aligns with purpose.
Purpose in life is often called vocation, or calling. But it’s more than the work that we do, it’s who we are. For reasonably priced Purpose in Life coursework, including Life Purpose Coaching, see my programs at http://www.yourcoachtosuccess.com/.
© 2007 Jerry Lopper. With a rich background in technology, motivation, and the journey of successful living, Jerry offers Life Purpose Coaching for groups and individuals. He publishes many internet articles on Personal Development and Purposeful Growth, and is a Feature Writer at Suite101. His book, “Jump for Joy, Clearing the hurdles to an easy life” describes ten ways to ease your life and is available at nominal cost directly from the publisher. You can reach Jerry at [email protected].
