I believe that we are not put on this world for one reason and one reason only. Our purposes are many. But some are universal and timeless. Finding your purpose, essentially your vocation (the intersection of your skills, your passions, and where you find abundance), is, in essence, your search for meaning.
Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, and clinical psychologist created a school of therapy called Logotherapy. Logos is a Greek word that translates as" meaning." Frankl's first-person account of the unimaginable horrors he experienced over three years in four different camps, Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, Kaufering III, and Türkheim, coupled with his ability to maintain a stoic attitude cemented Logotherapy in his mind. His application of Logotherapy to himself is what brought him through. What a fantastic testament to the effectiveness of his approach!
His purpose then was to recreate his life's work, a manuscript taken from him and destroyed while in Auschwitz.
Frankl believed that we could find meaning in life in three different ways;
- By creating a work or accomplishing some task
- By experiencing something fully or loving somebody
- By the attitude that one adopts toward unavoidable suffering
I submit to you that our universal purpose or meaning throughout our lives is to challenge ourselves, perhaps succeed at the challenge, but regardless, to self-reflect, and most importantly, forgive ourselves.
These ideas are not new. The great Stoic Philosophers Seneca, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius all subscribed to the notion that everyone has the power right now to inject deep meaning into their lives. It is frustrating to think that all you need is right there, in your hand, right now.
Here is another way to think about it. Goals are great, and goals are necessary for growth. But it isn't the "goal" that matters. It's the "quality" you possess that is what matters. For example, perhaps we wish to possess excellent knowledge. Great! The quality that you have access to right now is Curiosity. A goal of strength is achieved through Determination. Wealth is acquired through creating value os Usefulness.
Once you cross the threshold from chasing to realizing that chasing after a fleeting accomplishment provides only momentary satisfaction, you find deep joy, and you will end up accomplishing more than you thought possible.
Building Qualities is like building ideals. It's an inexhaustible well of opportunity. In his postface to The Kreutzer Sonata, Tolstoy described ideals as a light at the end of a long pole carried by oneself - never reachable but always leading one on.
Pursue your development forever. Follow the light, be the light, let the light illuminate the way.
I will be launching a new program that is created specifically for individuals in the corporate world. Keep your eyes peeled for this!
Be well, dear reader!
