How to Find My Purpose in Life?
Discovering the life purpose has been considered as a conventional need of a person to feel grounded and to lead a better life. This makes the person realize his definite goal where it’s the primal path to experience the happiness in his life. There are many inadequacies in finding the real-life purpose and I hope that the below facts would make it reliable.
A teenage boy decided to go to a remote place Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu and remain there for the rest of his life. This decision was unconsciously evolved in his mind right from his childhood days.
He left home without informing anyone. A few months later, his mother came to know that her son has become an ascetic (sadhu). She went there along with her other son and pleaded with him to return home with her.
This boy spoke nothing. He wrote on a piece of paper and handed it over to them.
“Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may. Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may prevent it. This is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent.”
These are the realities of life. Ramana Maharishi’s life and teaching would lead us to a better insight into the concept of life’s purpose. (Read also 6 Most Influential Spiritual Yogis in the World)
The yogis say that we have only one ultimate life purpose – knowing the real ‘I’. All actions are eventually leading to that purpose. These actions are the result of our prior deeds. More clearly, we were been attached to the effects of the causes – that is karma and its effects according to the Indian philosophical texts. It is a deep process and a little difficult to apprehend.
Ask yourself honestly, “do I experience full contentment in my life”. If you are leading a worldly life then the answer will be certainly ‘NO’. Our life is led by the aims and expectations that change according to the outcomes of life. And, happiness is relative to life experiences.
Every single action you have performed has a particular definite aim. If you are traveling somewhere in the world, you would have a purpose and expect some benefits that add to your life soon or later. This is the common nature of humans.
“Verily, none can ever remain for even a moment without acting; for, everyone is made to act helplessly indeed by the qualities born of Nature.
You perform the obligatory duties; for action is superior to inaction. And, through inaction, even the maintenance of your body will not be possible.”– Vedavyasa.
Our life events are a random process with a well-defined order. On the other hand, when we look from the scientific perspective, the psychological triggers of the mind are responsible for the definite purposes in life that are the combination and collection of various activities which are related to the cause and effect.
The various activities in life are a randomized process left with our choices where the decisions are mostly influenced by external conditions. It is also related to the hidden subconscious needs right from childhood experiences and the accompanying life circumstances. (Read also Free Will and Determinism in Science and Philosophy)
If you are a teacher, lawyer, techie, or whatever, your life purposes will be related to your main role in life – that is the core purpose (swadharma). Rest all are rooted in your desire that copes with the results.
“It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to be imitative of somebody else’s life with perfection.”
1. The Personality that Inspires You the Most
You may like some great people in life for their particular needs, personality, and achievements. Few of them inspire you the most. This inspiration has already planted the foundation in you that directs you to the life purpose.
For instance, if your real need is to become a scientist then you will be attached to the popular scientists in your field where your education and career will be aligned to it. Sometimes, you have to undergo hard times to reach there.
There will be also related, independent or distinctive activities that help to strengthen the core purpose.
On the way to becoming a researcher, you may also lead your life as a teacher or other related professions like a social reformer, businessman, etc. these all are combined to lead a meaningful life.
2. Look for the Skills Bestowed in Your Life
Each person is bestowed with some special skills and qualities in life that are having a better level on comparing with the other skills and qualities present in him. These skills are hidden in some people that they have to discover. And, for some people, these skills are revealed to them naturally. (Read also 12 Most Essential Skills Every Person Should Know)
I know a person personally who has a clear voice and he was a good singer. He tried hard to become a professional singer and led his life in that profession for few years.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t continue in that profession and became an Ayurvedic physician. He became an expert in that field very soon. He realized that he has special skills in treating patients with bone injury, massaging, and curing rheumatism.
3. Things that Excite Your Energy
Hearing life stories or remarkable activities of a person excites your energy rather than feeling jealous of them. This is where something resonates with your innate nature and beliefs.
If your life purpose is aligned with such away, then you might get motivated on hearing the exceptional stories of people such as Steve Jobs, Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, or other respected people in the world. If you want to change the world or to contribute something to the welfare of the people, then you would have Goosebumps on hearing such incredible stories of great people who have changed the world.
4. Activities that Make You Feel Grounded
Some people try hard to become something else in their life according to their aim. But this aim remains only as a mere dream for some people; even if some people reach there, they won’t stay there permanently.
The life events and circumstances naturally take them to other professions which they feel more grounded and continue with it for the rest of life. I have heard such life stories of people who had a definite aim to become a particular person in life and ended up becoming something else that made them stabilized.
Life is full of uncertainties, move forward with a positive outlook. Things will become clearer with time after realizing the essential qualities of life.
