How to find your purpose in life?

I believe it's crucial to have a purpose. When you have a worthy goal, and work towards it, you're less susceptible to depression, loneliness and other unpleasant things like that, and you know you aren't just wasting your time but doing something worthwhile. It's just that purpose is very elusive. I do not have one. Well, yeah, I could say that my purpose is to contribute something to humanity but that is terribly abstract. I have no idea how to do it although I think about it almost every day. I don't really have any such special abilities, sky-high IQ, charisma or even people skills that could be potentially beneficial. But a vast array of character vices, oh yeah you bet I always admired people who had a specific dream since their early childhood and worked to achieve it. Do you have a purpose? If so, how does one find it?

I also admire people who have a dream and try to achieve it.
I always said "life with out purpose is a life of depresion and despare." the only reson i say this is i have nothing to devote my life to and probly feel alot like you. if i die i leave nothing but a corpse behind. I dont leave anyone i care for. i dont leave my dreams and admeration behind. i just leave.

"life with out purpose is a life of depression and despair" Interesting saying. I think to be happy is the purpose of what life is. But I don't think you get there just by doing things for self interest. I too think to have a purpose gives you direction and dose make you have a reason to live.

Lets see. my purpose is that I strive to be the man I admire. To strive to be the biggest inspiration I can be. To be the guy that is remembered for being a friend that anyone would be proud to have. To help and put myself out with out reason and with out worrying that am being used. just to be the person I would most like to be my best friend.

I do believe its possible to be all this things. This is a browed purpose but if I can live like this then I well one day hopefully leave this place a better place then it was when I came into it. This is my purpose in life.

Also this thread reminded me of this song

Bluey said:

"life with out purpose is a life of depression and despair" Interesting saying. I think to be happy is the purpose of what life is. But I don't think you get there just by doing things for self interest. I too think to have a purpose gives you direction and dose make you have a reason to live.

Lets see. my purpose is that I strive to be the man I admire. To strive to be the biggest inspiration I can be. To be the guy that is remembered for being a friend that anyone would be proud to have. To help and put myself out with out reason and with out worrying that am being used. just to be the person I would most like to be my best friend.

I do believe its possible to be all this things. This is a browed purpose but if I can live like this then I well one day hopefully leave this place a better place then it was when I came into it. This is my purpose in life.

Also this thread reminded me of this song

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Cousin Bluey, I really admire you. Your some kinda of wonderful

I don't really have any dreams, but just hope I have a happy future, which is pretty unhelpful and a typical saying. But I do make little goals like 'finish learning a piano score at the end of this month' and it's true, it keeps me off depression and anything else, cause I'm not thinking about that and I concentrate on the music instead. And then when you finish, it makes me happy. =D And I guess that little goal contributes to my happy future. Stuff like that.

I used to have this stupid childhood goal which I thought was big and will make me happy (eternally as I said then..) like 'get an A grade for all Art exams and get into a good Art Course at University' and it'd be the best thing... Now that I got it, I was so happy at first, then I felt pretty empty after.. Guess it wasn't a big goal as I thought it was.

To be honest, I don't really care if I contribute to the world, as long as I am happy, I'm happy to die without leaving anything. Sorry if I have a simple mind!

no thats a great goal capricious, the reason we want anything like friends, or a new car, is because we think it will make us happy, deep down whenever we want something, it's becuase we believe it will bring us happyness.

I think that is also my goal, as well. Just live a happy life, becuase well when you're happy you don't really need anything else

I've always felt pressured to start focusing on higher educations to get a good job, but after reading this topic, I ask myself why? I'm perfectly fine with my current job. I really like it there, and it pays good enough for me. Now I can understand if you really have a dream you want to achieve. Of course you should go for it! But me, I don't have a dream, so why should I be chasing after it like I had one? I should enjoy my life more as it is, and stop worrying too much about the future. If a dream comes, I will chase after it.

Life a happy life. I like the sound of that ^^

Jeremi said:

I've always felt pressured to start focusing on higher educations to get a good job, but after reading this topic, I ask myself why? I'm perfectly fine with my current job. I really like it there, and it pays good enough for me. Now I can understand if you really have a dream you want to achieve. Of course you should go for it! But me, I don't have a dream, so why should I be chasing after it like I had one? I should enjoy my life more as it is, and stop worrying too much about the future. If a dream comes, I will chase after it.

Life a happy life. I like the sound of that ^^

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Exactly. And I would say its that kinder way of thinking that makes a person happy just enjoy where your at. There is very few ppl in the world that do that. ppl always wont what they don't have. when they have it they then wont something else.

I stive after happyness as much as the rest of you but i have no idea of where to start looking for it. I find it hard to get up in the morning and just keep myself going with out the motivation of a goal.

Silvernight said:

Do you have a purpose? If so, how does one find it?

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To find your purpose in life, I believe you must follow your heart.
Your purpose isn't necessarily fixed. One's purpose in life may change. My purpose in life has evolved as my roles have changed and they continue to do so. Do what you love. Find what you are most passionate about and keep your responsibilities to others.

Your purpose is inside you. Know yourself and you know your purpose.

Silvernight said:

I believe it's crucial to have a purpose. When you have a worthy goal, and work towards it, you're less susceptible to depression, loneliness and other unpleasant things like that, and you know you aren't just wasting your time but doing something worthwhile. It's just that purpose is very elusive. I do not have one. Well, yeah, I could say that my purpose is to contribute something to humanity but that is terribly abstract. I have no idea how to do it although I think about it almost every day. I don't really have any such special abilities, sky-high IQ, charisma or even people skills that could be potentially beneficial. But a vast array of character vices, oh yeah you bet I always admired people who had a specific dream since their early childhood and worked to achieve it. Do you have a purpose? If so, how does one find it?

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Nope sorry I have no purpose in life. I just go everyday in and out and constantly feeling miserable. I think my purpose is to suffer so other can feel good about themselves, if not then finding a purpose is harder than I thought.

Chris 2 said:

Silvernight said:

I believe it's crucial to have a purpose. When you have a worthy goal, and work towards it, you're less susceptible to depression, loneliness and other unpleasant things like that, and you know you aren't just wasting your time but doing something worthwhile. It's just that purpose is very elusive. I do not have one. Well, yeah, I could say that my purpose is to contribute something to humanity but that is terribly abstract. I have no idea how to do it although I think about it almost every day. I don't really have any such special abilities, sky-high IQ, charisma or even people skills that could be potentially beneficial. But a vast array of character vices, oh yeah you bet I always admired people who had a specific dream since their early childhood and worked to achieve it. Do you have a purpose? If so, how does one find it?

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Nope sorry I have no purpose in life. I just go everyday in and out and constantly feeling miserable. I think my purpose is to suffer so other can feel good about themselves, if not then finding a purpose is harder than I thought.

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Actually chris watching you suffer dose not make anyone feel good.

Just do anything you like ensure you really love doing it - could be painting,writing,riding ..... do it passionately.

Thats it. I dont think everyone needs a purpose ...

papparazzzi said:

Just do anything you like ensure you really love doing it - could be painting,writing,riding ..... do it passionately.

Thats it. I dont think everyone needs a purpose ...

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I think that everyone comes to Earth with a purpose. Which, yes, includes doing what you love, but also contributing to the society in some positive way. Only some people find it easier to understand what theirs is and others stumble in the dark and every attempt to determine that purpose is honestly like banging your head on the wall. That would, unfortunately, be my case. So, there are things that I like doing, but do they actually make any kind of positive impact on anyone? Not really. Basically, they're just for my personal enjoyment.

To spread my seeds around
oh...I mean love.

If I can't rule myself...how in the hell am I going to rule the world ? lol
If I can't live happily under my own skin..how in the hell am I going to spread happiness around ?
If I can't help myself ..how in the hell am I going to help others ?

If I learn to live happily, take care of myself, love myself, do the things I love, enjoy my life, and make
my life better for me to live. Perhapse there will be one less ass-hole in the world.....
is that not making the world a better place to live for other ?

Perhapse, I should learn to master these things within my world or life first...then maybe someday
I can share it with others.
You can't start at the finish line....man.lol

Let there be peace , love and happiness in this world....let it beging with me.

I came into this world with nothing. I'll leave it with nothing.....It's a trip and an experince of a life time.lol

Love your seeds of wisdom LC Perhaps I should sprinkle them daily in my soup. In particular, that part about being one less ******* in the world lol.

Silvernight said:

I believe it's crucial to have a purpose. When you have a worthy goal, and work towards it, you're less susceptible to depression, loneliness and other unpleasant things like that, and you know you aren't just wasting your time but doing something worthwhile. It's just that purpose is very elusive. I do not have one. Well, yeah, I could say that my purpose is to contribute something to humanity but that is terribly abstract. I have no idea how to do it although I think about it almost every day. I don't really have any such special abilities, sky-high IQ, charisma or even people skills that could be potentially beneficial. But a vast array of character vices, oh yeah you bet I always admired people who had a specific dream since their early childhood and worked to achieve it. Do you have a purpose? If so, how does one find it?

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Victor Frankl wrote that there are three ways to achieve meaning: work, love and suffering. You can achieve definition through your work, which doesn't have to be art but can be charity or even big business (actually, in the scheme of things soulless lawyers contribute more to society than Oxfam volunteers). You can achieve meaning through your relationships, which is self-explanatory. Or you can achieve meaning through suffering, which gives your actions meaning simply through showing the depth of character behind it.

In Shakespearean characters, then, Richard the Third achieves meaning through work, that is to say his ambition, Antony achieves meaning through love, and Lear achieves meaning through suffering.

The one thing is not to be bland or apathetic. Then one is not really living at all.

Everyone needing a purpose in life is used as an excuse by one and all for idling away their time n life ! All should take a positive step by listing down their interests and selecting one to spend positive energies ...hope my blah blah helps someone !

Silvernight said:

papparazzzi said:

Just do anything you like ensure you really love doing it - could be painting,writing,riding ..... do it passionately.

Thats it. I dont think everyone needs a purpose ...

Click to expand...

I think that everyone comes to Earth with a purpose. Which, yes, includes doing what you love, but also contributing to the society in some positive way. Only some people find it easier to understand what theirs is and others stumble in the dark and every attempt to determine that purpose is honestly like banging your head on the wall. That would, unfortunately, be my case. So, there are things that I like doing, but do they actually make any kind of positive impact on anyone? Not really. Basically, they're just for my personal enjoyment.

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Looks like a good thread, so I am bumping it.

BUMPY!