Discovering Your Purpose

[Okraz1]

Currently I'm reading David Deida's "The way of the superior man" and he writes about the importance of a purpose for a man which illustrates how i feel about my life pretty much every day.

In chapter 11 he writes that a man without purpose is totally lost and drifting in life adapting to events rather than creating them or being in control. Without a life purpose, a man lives a weakened impotent existence.

He goes on to say that everything in your life must be aligned to your purpose (diet, career, choices) and that not not knowing your purpose or deepest desire, you are dissociated from your core and in everything that you do in life their is an underlying emptiness and you are just going through the motions not living to your true purpose.

So my question is to those who have discovered their purpose:

How did you discover your purpose? Did you meddle in many different things until you found it or did you ultimately always know deep down what your purpose was and live to it.

I feel that 99%+ of people go through life drifting and uncertain and only a handful realise and live to their true selves.

I would appreciate all insight

Thankyou

 

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[T-K]

I know a few people who discovered their purpose by asking themselves a few questions.

Ask yourself: what would you do right now if you had $10.000.000 cash right beside you. Whatever you say is the thing you want. Money is just a means. Ask yourself this, then elaborate the questions, dig deeper like some kind of a dialogue with yourself. Sorry for being so vague but it's vague because only you can direct the conversation from there.

 

[JasonR]

Oh man - what a great topic and an excellent book.

How did I find my purpose?

It was trying new things.

It was working a job I hated to tell me I would NOT accept the wage-slavery most people consider "life."

It was helping like-minded people. Networking with entrepreneurs all over the world.

It was starting my first successful business, and knowing that this was the path for me, however hard it got.

It was me breaking up with my girlfriend, that led me to realize we weren't right for each other.

It was moving from my home town, to realize that's not where I belonged.

It was moving across the WORLD, and experiencing new, fantastic cultures from Big Crowded cities to beach islands.

With each LEAP out of my comfort zone, I grew as a person. I discovered what I loved, and what I hated. I learned to accept things that FIT me, despite, sometimes, going against the societal norm.

I learn something new about myself all the time, and it's because I accept who I am and what I want. This comes with time, patience, maturity, and the understanding that only YOU know what is right for yourself.

Every leap of faith I took, I discovered something new about myself.

At some point, you know enough people, experience enough things, and you begin to realize what, exactly is right for you. How much money you need. How you want to live. The type of person you want to be in a relationship with. Where you want to live. How you want to live. Only can you, once knowing these things, work towards actually achieving them.

It's ok, to not know. But you better not just sit on your a$$ and hope you'll magically figure it out one day while life passes you by. Go DO something new, out of your bubble.

Get out of your comfort zone. Every single LEAP I take, my world changes for the better. And I've never been happier.

 

[Okraz1]

Oh man - what a great topic and an excellent book.

How did I find my purpose?

It was trying new things.

It was working a job I hated to tell me I would NOT accept the wage-slavery most people consider "life."

It was helping like-minded people. Networking with entrepreneurs all over the world.

It was starting my first successful business, and knowing that this was the path for me, however hard it got.

It was me breaking up with my girlfriend, that led me to realize we weren't right for each other.

It was moving from my home town, to realize that's not where I belonged.

It was moving across the WORLD, and experiencing new, fantastic cultures from Big Crowded cities to beach islands.

With each LEAP out of my comfort zone, I grew as a person. I discovered what I loved, and what I hated. I learned to accept things that FIT me, despite, sometimes, going against the societal norm.

I learn something new about myself all the time, and it's because I accept who I am and what I want. This comes with time, patience, maturity, and the understanding that only YOU know what is right for yourself.

Every leap of faith I took, I discovered something new about myself.

At some point, you know enough people, experience enough things, and you begin to realize what, exactly is right for you. How much money you need. How you want to live. The type of person you want to be in a relationship with. Where you want to live. How you want to live. Only can you, once knowing these things, work towards actually achieving them.

It's ok, to not know. But you better not just sit on your a$$ and hope you'll magically figure it out one day while life passes you by. Go DO something new, out of your bubble.

Get out of your comfort zone. Every single LEAP I take, my world changes for the better. And I've never been happier.

Thanks for the personal, in-depth post man, I'll definitely work on taking new leaps and challenges in life to continue growing. What you wrote reflects some things Deida says in his book too about constantly leaning beyond the edge of fear and discomfort

 

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[ilrein]

I read the book a long time ago. To follow up on your reading, I recommend two in particular: Mastery by Robert Greene (finding your purpose and how to achieve it), and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (a fictional story following the ruthless pursuit of Mastery).

Robert Greene suggests that our Life's Task is a breathing, living thing, which evolves as we do. David Deida speaks as if the purpose is a fixed absolute. I prefer Robert's approach, because as long as we progress towards understanding our purpose, which is an adaptable, breathing entity, we need not feel guilt for having failed to realize our purpose already.

In fact, its a fluidity of motion, an ability to adjust along the way, purposefully keeping your mind open to new opportunities, that helps this Life Task take shape into something concrete and visible. Robert suggests to follow your natural inclinations, the things that make you unique, that it is better to pursue a field that stimulates you, because you will find it easier to give 100% of your energy when the subject actually captivates you.

From a pragmatic perspective, I found my path in programming. I don't fully know what my Life's Task is, nor did I think I would enjoy coding when I started actively pursuing the field 3 years ago, but the closer I get to mastery, the more I learn, the more I find myself dedicating more and more time to the craft. I know that my journey involves software, hardware, entrepreneurship, startups, travel, culture, variety, experience. I'll find my Life's Task somewhere in there. Its progressively taking on a more concrete form everyday.

Edit: I had so much fun thinking about this question, I wrote a short article expanding my thoughts here.

 

[Andy Black]

I found my purpose by doing lots of things and finally observing what gave me energy, what came naturally, and what I tended towards doing when given a choice.

For me, my purpose was there all along, I was just too busy (and listening to others too much) to hear.

I've written a few posts related to this.

Here's one:

• www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/clarity-of-purpose.63337

Two turning points for me were:

1) Taking a profiling test that made me realise I'd spent most of my working life in completely the wrong roles.

2) Watching the video below:

One of my favourite lines is: "Tell me what you've done, and I'll tell you who you are."

What have you done so far?

Is there a common pattern in what you've done?

What's the theme?

 

[Andy Black]

Found my other post:

• www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/finding-your-focus.62137

 

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[Okraz1]

I read the book a long time ago. To follow up on your reading, I recommend two in particular: Mastery by Robert Greene (finding your purpose and how to achieve it), and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand (a fictional story following the ruthless pursuit of Mastery).

Robert Greene suggests that our Life's Task is a breathing, living thing, which evolves as we do. David Deida speaks as if the purpose is a fixed absolute. I prefer Robert's approach, because as long as we progress towards understanding our purpose, which is an adaptable, breathing entity, we need not feel guilt for having failed to realize our purpose already.

In fact, its a fluidity of motion, an ability to adjust along the way, purposefully keeping your mind open to new opportunities, that helps this Life Task take shape into something concrete and visible. Robert suggests to follow your natural inclinations, the things that make you unique, that it is better to pursue a field that stimulates you, because you will find it easier to give 100% of your energy when the subject actually captivates you.

From a pragmatic perspective, I found my path in programming. I don't fully know what my Life's Task is, nor did I think I would enjoy coding when I started actively pursuing the field 3 years ago, but the closer I get to mastery, the more I learn, the more I find myself dedicating more and more time to the craft. I know that my journey involves software, hardware, entrepreneurship, startups, travel, culture, variety, experience. I'll find my Life's Task somewhere in there. Its progressively taking on a more concrete form everyday.

Edit: I had so much fun thinking about this question, I wrote a short article expanding my thoughts here.

Nice article, I will check out those books too

 

[Ninjakid]

I've never discovered my purpose. I just started becoming more of myself.

Everything I do is symphonic orchestra overflowing from my heart and tinkering with the universe to compose a marvelous manifesto. As I let this symphony overflow, my life becomes a little more interesting.

 

[Mechanic]

I read a great quote somewhere about finding yourself through work. At the time I was doing some renovations on a rental property for an elderly couple. It really hit home for me. I was learning a lot about myself through that job. I got a better idea of my likes and dislikes. Same scenario played out when I got into copywriting and realized I hated it.

The more you work the more you realize what makes you tick and you get a lot closer to finding a purpose.

I think my purpose is not much different than the purpose of any other animal. The difference between us and other 4 legged animals is that we have the mental facilities to create a concept of purpose.

In the end I think purpose is a product of personality and experience.

 

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[Deleted20833]

I highly recommend this video on purpose..chances are you already found it

 

[Andy Black]

The video below is a story of how I got started doing what I currently do.

It's a story from 2009.

I didn't realise the full impact of what I'd done for my friend until a couple of years ago, when I too was staring at an empty warchest and wondering where I was going to get the money to pay the mortgage.

I've stood in his shoes.

I still stand in his shoes tbh...



I can see my friend's story all around me.

He was a man with a wife and two kids, and with another baby on the way.

A man who's family depends on him.

A man who just wants to do an honest day's work.



7 years on, I'm still doing the same thing.

I still want to help business owners get more leads, sales, and revenue.



Shiny object syndrome?

What's that?

 

[AndrewNC]

How did you discover your purpose?

"When I reach the point of being set for life, never having to be set off the course with the distractions of life, after accomplishing all my goals...what will I be doing now?"

 

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