Purpose

Purpose is a word used by many self-help coaches as an essential component of a happy, fulfilled life. It refers to the "reason we exist" here on the planet.

Some people believe that each of us was put here on this planet for some specific reason (purpose) and that it is either up to us to find out what that purpose is, or it becomes obvious to us because of our overt passions or talents. There are many books written about purpose and how to find it.

While I agree that having a purpose in life may be important, I disagree that it is essential. It might be for you, but it might not be for someone else. It all depends on your Definition of Happiness

In my book, BeHappy!, I describe three fundamental life issues which tend to have a profound effect on our ability to be happy - but they will do so only if our Definition of Happiness is better met by any of these issues.

Those three "life issues" are:

Identity
Purpose
Passion

Purpose, as you can see, is just one of three general categories in life (according to me) which could affect our happiness.

It's much too detailed to address here.

My point of this little blurb is to just mention "purpose" as a concept. There will be much more on all these topics in future articles on this website, as well as the bi-monthly BeHappy Newsletter (Subscribe Here). Also, my book, BeHappy! has a whole chapter devoted to these three life issues.

So, if you have a purpose and know what it is, great. If you believe you were put here on this earth for a reason, but don't yet know it, there are many ways to find it (see below for one interesting way). And, if you believe you don't have a purpose and your Definition of Happiness does not require you to have one, that's great, too.

Here's one way I found on a popular personal development website on what to do to discover your purpose in life:

Here’s what to do:

Take out a blank sheet of paper or open up a word processor where you can type;
Write at the top, “What is my true purpose in life?”;
Write an answer (any answer) that pops into your head. It doesn’t have to be a complete sentence. A short phrase is fine;
Repeat step 3 until you write the answer that makes you cry. This is your purpose.

That’s it. It doesn’t matter what you do for a living or what you think you're best at. When you write down something that evokes enough emotion to make you cry (or for you folks who "don't cry", maybe you just get a bit teary-eyed), then this is what you were "meant" to do and be in life.

To some people this exercise will make perfect sense. To others it will seem utterly stupid. According to the site where I got this, though, it usually takes about 15-20 minutes to clear your head of all the clutter and the social conditioning about what you think your purpose in life is. The first few answers (the "false answers") will come from your mind and your memories. But when the true answer finally arrives, it will feel like it’s coming to you from a different source entirely.

Give this a try. And if it works, you may start creating a whole new life for yourself. If it doesn't work, try it again another day. Keep trying it - and if it still doesn't work, check back here in a few months for other ways to discover your purpose and...

BeHappy! my friends

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