“I feel lost. I feel life has no meaning. How do I find the purpose of my life?” It is a big, deep question we have all struggled with at some point in life.
Whenever we are not able to find the answer to a question despite a lot of thought, the chances are there is something we might be missing. It makes sense to understand the question before trying to answer it.
So I thought of investigating this together…
Imagine you meet God one fine morning.
God tells you:
“Dude, what the heck are you doing in an IT company??? Coding for 10 hours and ogling at girls during lunch???!!
You are meant for greater things!!! I do not know whether it was the fear of your parents or peers, but how could you not hear your inner voice? MY voice!
Get this straight. I have put you here to build the best school in your country. A school that children will come and learn how to live a happy life, not how to get a bloody job.
Getting funding for such things is hard. Getting people to choose their childrens’ happiness over their own insecurities is hard. You are already 25, you have lost 2-3 years. Plus you graduated in engineering! But that’s OK. This is you LIFE PURPOSE we are talking about.
Once you start towards your life purpose, nothing in the world can stop you.
So GO!!! and do what your life was meant for!!!”
For the first time in your life you feel a deep sense of alignment. A congruence. Peace.
A spark emerges in your heart, and becomes a raging flame.
You fall at his feet, thank him and vow to achieve your life purpose.
You immediately go to your company, put in your resignation, say a few things to your boss you always wanted to say – and storm out. A FREE man!!!
And then the struggle starts. The hurdles are many, but the fire burns bright within. No matter what challenges you face, you never think “Shall I give up now?” but “How shall I face this challenge?” Your plans are delayed, but you do not lose patience. You face criticism from your parents, discouragement from friends, they tell you that you are wasting your life for nothing – but you trudge on. You friends are getting married, having kids – but nothing can stop you. While they are busy reading inspirational books and watching motivational videos to ‘find their life’s purpose’, secretly wishing they had the courage to do what you are doing – you are busy slogging.
You work, slog, give your blood and sweat for 2 years, 5 years, 10 years. Of course you achieve a great degree of success. Because you just would not give up before it.
Your success story gets published on websites, you are known as “The man who turned education into enlightenment” You win national awards for your work.
It’s been 15 long years. A hard but fulfilling 15 years.
You are travelling in a train to one of the many schools you have established.
And you see this guy.
You almost scream in delight. Fall at his feet and cry “Oh God!!! Thank you for pointing me towards my life’s purpose!!! Had it not been for that, I would have wasted my life for nothing! I never could raise a family, my parents disowned me – but nothing compared to the feeling of fulfilment I feel inside! Today I have a family of 1000s of children!”
He squints at you and says “My my!! Aren’t you the guy I met about…10…15 years ago? You fell at my feet crying? You even delivered some improvised dialogues!”
“Dialogues???? What dialogues?” you ask. Completely confused!
“Those dialogues around ‘vowing to build the school’ dude! The director was sure pissed, but then he felt it was funny. We looked for you, but could not find you! Why did you leave the set without taking your pay?”
“What the heck are you talking about?!!!! Aren’t you God?”
“Hahaha…that seems to have become my nickname. But no, I am just Murugan Paidman. But I have to say, your acting was so good!!! As if you really were an IT guy. Even your costume looked so genuine. What do you do now by the way?”
You faint.
Life is just a story we tell ourselves. Some concepts around ‘me’, ‘mine’, ‘life’ we concoct. Life purpose is not something we achieve. It is something that gets created as we go. ‘Waiting to find your life purpose’ is putting your life in pause mode, while life simply goes on.
Life is inherently meaningless. The wonderful thing is you have the power to give it the meaning, the purpose you want.
Do not wait to find your purpose. Create it.
“Well…then how do I create it?” you ask? That’s for another day. 😋 If you want to know more…let me know. Then I will write part 2.
Once again good article Vijay. However, I got little disconnected when the climax was revealed. However, I would like to read your part 2. Thanks once again.
Anup … Can you elaborate what you mean by disconnected?
Look forward to part 2. )