Priya seemed eager to make a mark in her chosen field. However, her career seemed plagued by some snag or the other. She would often complain how everyone was moving ahead of her, about the daily problems she faced. Constant self-comparisons with others in her team only served to increase her sense of inadequacy. She changed her focus a couple of times, trying to imitate the successful patterns of others around her. Despite all this, her dissatisfaction and sense of persecution only increased.
Sounds familiar?
We often envy the success of others. We marvel at their tranquil rise to fame and give credit to their fortitude, charisma, privileged backgrounds or unique capabilities and on occasion give not them but lady luck all the glory.
We find ourselves lacking and then begins the self-critic and blame games (parents, teachers, bosses etc. are not spared).
Meaning of Purpose
I would like to re-focus on a school of thought, not a new one but often ignored in our constant search for immediate fulfilment. It is no earth shattering secret formula, only the idea that, we all have a purpose.
What is a purpose? A raison d’etre; a reason for being. A mission, whose fulfilment comes following our own growth as individuals.
When do we figure out our purpose?
Some figure out their purpose quite early in life. Others take their own sweet time. Rarely are we born with it. At times the journey of self –discovery is enhanced by meditation, deep introspection etc.
There are also some, whose methodical and pragmatic mind-sets make them consider such a concept as unreal hogwash. I am not ashamed to say that when I first started working, an experienced and much respected director spoke of, all of us having a purpose in our lives. I was cynical and of course blank! I saw my career goals, my family and couldn’t see much beyond that. But his words kept intruding on my psyche and over the years I began to figure out what gave me joy, a sense of purpose and completeness. That is also the foundation on which my initiative, Interview N Speech Xpress is based.
A purpose could be more than our daily commitments, job satisfaction and pride in one’s family . Don’t look for a sense of purpose in the stuff that doesn’t hold your attention. Look at all the things that interest you, which give you, joy. For some it may be numbers, for another studying trends, another may see music everywhere, for someone its computers and for another working with people or children. Whatever your purpose, remember it could never be negative, never harm another. It has to make a positive impact.
How do you know when you come up on your purpose?
The first clue is the deep sense of fulfilment. The feeling that you are right, the innate sense of knowing what to do, the feeling of completeness.
It does not happen automatically. Your education, your upbringing, your friends, your rivals, your good and bad experiences, your various jobs; all of these take you closer to the realisation. I say better late, than never. Life is indeed a journey .Each time you learn something new about yourselves don’t forget to nurture this self-knowledge.
Should my purpose and profession be the same …..?
Even with a purpose, people do excel at their jobs and roles. They are not unhappy. They are effective and successful .However despite the recognition and money they sometimes yearn for something more.
This is because; your purpose and job may not always be in the same arena. There are powerful people, who realise this. They build their wealth through path bending innovations but their sense of purpose might lie in saving millions of children from the killer disease AIDS, or introducing innovative practices into our political systems. They us their experience, knowledge and networks from their professional arenas to become incredible change agents.
For some, their purpose and profession amalgamate. In such an individual you would see extraordinary joy, enthusiasm and motivation .There is an internal spark ,unaffected by external causes .They don’t work only because of their obligations, there is something more driving them. Take for example, our idol Sachin Tendulkar; a sportsman whose purpose and profession I think were one and the same. For some cricket could be a mere sport or maybe even a means to an end, say fame or fortune. For him, it is different.
Not relevant to me, I am just starting my career.
Malala Yousafzai’s circumstances in life, helped reveal her purpose pretty early on. As age has nothing to do with having or not having a purpose. There are young people who keep coming up with innovative Apps, on-line businesses and systems .Technology could be the area in which they find a sense of purpose, it is what drives them.
The faster you discover your raison –d’etre the faster you get to doing what you are supposed to be doing. You can’t hurry the experience but you can open your mind.
The Road Less travelled
Find your purpose. Focus on your strengths, on what you care about, an area where you want to make a difference. There may or may not be others who have walked down that path. Nevertheless, once in a while the road less travelled is the one to follow.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PURPOSE
- Gives meaning to our lives and a sense of completeness
- Could be related to our profession or could be something unique
- A purpose is always positive and does no harm
- Never to early or too later to arrive at our purpose.
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