What is Purpose?
Purpose. A word commonly used when people are feeling lost or uncertain in life. Purpose, and its definition, can be very subjective. Many questions arise for me when I address this term. Does an individual have one purpose which allows them to wake up everyday and feel connected to the world or does purpose constantly change as one goes through the many seasons of life? Is purpose something humans aspire to achieve and is it a necessary part of life in order to experience satisfaction?
Through my life experience, I believe having a purpose is crucial to finding happiness and feeling comfortable with who you are. As an individual develops a better understanding of who they are and their unique superpowers they will become more content in life. Currently, I am working toward an undergraduate degree, constantly exploring career options, and figuring out what fulfills me at work, school and in my social circles. At some point every day, I ask myself what my purpose is or should be? I hope one day to be able to answer this question with confidence.
Author Robert Greene talks about purpose as something that has been within us from a very young age, and refers to it as our “life task.” Greene believes that when we are younger, we experience a raw state of our existence therefore making it easier to stay in touch with our true selves as the “noise” of the world has yet to affect us. Robert Greene also believes that purpose is a contribution that each person can make to the world, which can be exclusive from external success and finances. Early childhood interests and passions can guide ourselves to our “life task”.
To find a sense of purpose, one must look within. Through journaling, I am able to reflect on my earlier life experiences and the activities I gravitated toward at a young age. Mentors and other influential people around us can also help us find our purpose. It is interesting that friends and family can see the gifts we hold as individuals better than we can ourselves. Immersing myself in new activities and exposing myself to people of different backgrounds has taught me what truly brings me joy and the importance of facing challenges I used to try to avoid.
Lexi Lawrenz
Birch Psychology
Resources
https://hbr.org/2023/09/how-to-find-your-purpose
https://annayusim.com/blog/the-search-for-meaning-understanding-carl-jungs-perspective-on-the-purpose-of-life/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/08901171211038545