Globalization is crazy. In this unique and evolving moment in history, we now have the entire world filled with potential and prospective opportunities. But with greater options and choices requires us to have an even greater selection system. We need a clear purpose and therefore a clear way to define purpose.
Here are 3 ways to define purpose and to discover yours.
Where once our ancestors simply wanted to survive the plague, famine or whatever natural disaster of their village, we now have even more wants.
We want to…
- make a difference in the world
- love like our life depended on it
- live in the moment
- experience new things
- achieve greatness
- be yourself
- be better
- possess knowledge of the universe
- live in harmony with the world
I don’t know about you, but I definitely want more than just one of these.
I want it all.
And I want it now.
Fortunately life doesn’t work that way.
With so many possibilities, how do we define purpose?
Though we may understand that objects and things have a specific purpose, a function, and businesses have a defined purpose or mission statement, what do we have?
Let me suggest that there are 3 ways to define purpose and discover yours.
1. Duty- Establish Your Principles.
Duties are something rigid and forceful. It is often a matter of life or death. It is either that way or the highway. Duty is in the best sense is principled.
Hacksaw Ridge is a movie about American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss, a pacifist who served in WWII. He felt it was his duty to serve in the military, fight for his country and fight for freedom. Despite suffering verbal, mental and physical suffering for refusing to use and even carry a firearm, it was not his duty but his purpose that allowed him to endure and stay resilient. Doss would be the first person ever to receive the Medal of Honor without firing a shot.
Since the dawn of society, civilization has been built upon principles. It was the duty of the citizen to work for the city. It was the duty of the child to provide for their parent.
Without duty, we live in chaos. If duty disappears, we live a Mad Max, post-apocalyptic, anything goes world.
What is your duty? What are your principles?
2. Path – Understand Your Position
Having a path is different than duty. Duty is a set of principles whereas a path has a direction and goal.
For Desmond T. Doss, his religious principles told him he should enlist. He recognized however that since he could not shoot, but could run fast, that enabled him to uniquely serve as a medic. His principles lead him to enlist but understanding his position allowed him to serve as a medic.
When we understand our position in life, we can being to see a path to take. For Doss it was a medic.
What is your path? How do you understand your current position in life in light of your principles?
3. Calling – Awaken to the People You Love
Doss’s principles lead him to fight as a solider, and understanding the path he was on lead him to heal as a medic. However, he did more than just not fight and put band-aids on.
At one point in the story, the squad retreats from the battlefield which they are just getting slaughtered in. However Doss, decides to stay behind. He decides to look for every person who was still breathing, conscious or not, bandage them, and drag them through the battle field to lower them down a cliff to the camp where his retreated squad was safely positioned.
Out of his love for God and his fellow team, Doss went above and beyond to serve his fellow teammates.
As much as we need to establish a set of principles to define our purpose and an understanding of the position we are in, we also need awakening to the people we love.
For Doss it was God. We all however need someone to call us to be someone better than who we are in our present moments.
If life is about relationship, we need then relationships to live for.
Although Doss saved all those people because of his calling, it was his path and principles that lead him to be in that exact time and space. We don’t need to only awaken to our passions, but also to establish our principles and understand our position. We need all 3.
In my book Being is Greater than Doing, I write on the importance of establishing one’s principles, and awakening to our passions (who and what we love) in order to become our best self and how to form them.
To define purpose is to determine our principles, position and passions.
What is an inspiring story, movie, or television show that has helped you learn about purpose? Would love to hear them! Please comment below!
