May 24 2008

What is your Life’s Purpose?

“Life is like driving on a road.
Eventually, we will find that there are faster cars which overtake us;
And we are then forced to slow down and wait until they pass by."

People have a lot of conflicting concerns and desires in life. It helps for an individual to have a clear idea about what’s most important in his/her life. You will be surprised to know that 55% of the population that is; 18 years and over don’t have a clue about what’s most important in their lives or the reason for them being alive today. When asked that question, some intelligent ones will say that the reason for them being on this earth today is because of the fusion of a sperm and an egg. How funny can that answer be?

A life purpose can be viewed from different angles of Derek Walcott’s Square. From one perspective it could be a contribution to St.Lucia. Another might be for the experience of being alive. Well for me, my life’s purpose is looking back from the end of my life, what is it that was most important for me to be doing? How do I make my life more about that than about anything else?

From another perspective, that a person’s life purpose is what fulfills his/her own sense of satisfaction in the moment. It’s possible to imagine a world of glamour, where all will sacrifice their personal fulfillment for the greater good.

I am in position that it is to fulfill both myself in the moment and to contribute to society. My contribution to society involves expressing that core part of myself from which I get great fulfillment and express myself in a way that creates value for others.

I envision a world of people experiencing great satisfaction in their lives, all clear about what is most important to them and in the process of creating it. If I were to put a label on my life purpose, it would be “an agent for progress”, in St.Lucia. Everything I do is about progress, both for me and for others. I love seeing and am taking the step already to helping people grow in their own consciousness. And the more I feel special like I really made a difference, the more energy I have to contribute.

Self-sacrifice is the biggest mistake a lot of people make in living their lives. This doesn’t work long term. You need to find a purpose that you love, and the world will be happy you did. That doesn’t mean that all your feedback from people will be positive. You will probably get a few haters along that road. Don’t worry, be happy. On the other hand, getting hard criticism is a sure sign that you’re making a difference. If I’m fitting quietly in, the chances are very small that I’m really on course. People who are on course shine with a glow. You need to discover and uncover your light. The more you express yourself, the bigger difference you make. If I express myself truly, with the ambition to add value, not to destroy it, I have found my life purpose. And the same goes for you. So after today, you must be able to outline your life purpose.

By Cotney John