The Foundation of Purpose

Our curiosity leads us to our Purpose, is what my take away was from my last week’s edition. Vijaya Rangaswamy,  Founder of 5AM Career Studio and Career Counselor believes that purpose is the core of our existence without which one can’t imagine a life.

Over the years, there is another very strong the realization that has brought about a change in the way I look at Purpose. Purpose essentially is a strength and is derived from an extremely positive place. Even during difficult times, only a person who is hopeful can see the silver lining in the storm will be able to find their purpose.

So where does that leave us? The purpose is directly related to our state of mind. We often are unable to find a purpose in the state of helplessness or desperation, even though we might be in dire need of one, which brings me to the point, is it possible to live a purposeless life.

I am quite positive it is. The purpose might give one a reason to live but an absence thereof might not take it away. This in itself is a very interesting connotation. I remember quoting Mark Twain on learning about ignorance in one of my previous issues.

On similar lines, ignorance of purpose gives the confidence to live a life full of pleasures and success.  So if one can become successful even without purpose, does that mean that success does not involve purpose. Differentiation has to be made between purpose and goal here. Purpose drives goals but goals can be attained in isolation. A classic example being, her purpose in life was to serve underprivileged girls and ensure education for them. Her goal was to open 100 schools catering to girl child education for same. The purpose is kind of your mission statement.

I asked a couple of questions yesterday

• -         What are you willing to fight for?
• -         What moves you?
• -         What would your legacy be?
• -         How would you want your children to remember you?

I remember working with street children as part of our hostel program once. One day on my visit to the campus for some official work, a young boy of 10 came to me and asked “didi will you have lunch with us”. I promised him but left for another office nearby. When I came back I could see the anger in his eyes. I apologized profusely and asked our cook that ae hostel. “Sahoo Bhaiya, khana dijiye.”  I can still remember his face and eyes but his name for some reasons evades me. He sat me and asked me to eat green chillies. This was his way to punish me for not listening to him. After two he stopped me and was happy and I think went his way. Why do I mention this? The experience was a huge lesson on what made me happy. This kids’ satisfaction made me happy. His laughter did. His amusement did. I realized in that point of time that was my purposed and I was proud to be associated with an organization working a cause. There are so many such experiences, plus questions. It is not just about finding a purpose or having one at all. It is also worthwhile discussing do we have the same a purpose all our lives or what drives it?

Let us talk more about such experience on November 2,2020 during my Insta Live https://www.instagram.com/dwivedinupur/  at 5 pm. Look forward to sharing your experience.