← Back Published on

What is Purpose?

The narrative around a ‘purpose’ or ‘life meaning’ can turn an enlightened positive philosophy into a consuming anxiety.

If you are content with being nobody in particular, content not to stand out, you align yourself with the power of the universe. What looks like weakness to the ego is in fact the only true strength. This spiritual truth is diametrically opposed to the values of our contemporary culture and the way it conditions people to behave - Eckhart Tolle

In whichever channel it comes from, 'purpose' is often used as the antonym for ‘failure’. Purpose has become synonymous with ‘accomplish’. To find purpose has become to succeed at something unconditionally and unwaveringly, like a job, a marriage, or children. This meaning of purpose is always somewhere in the distant future and framed as something to chase. It has also become tied to permanence. The moment something stops, fades away, or is moved on from, it is no longer part of our purpose or achievements and is added to our accumulation of failures instead.

The idea of an overarching unity of purpose feeds into a capitalist myth that life is the journey towards a certain point of success (usually indicated by recognition or money). It sees life as a timeline of goals and checkpoints, binding us to unhappiness because we are forever chasing. I find resonation in the semi-controversial take that ‘Religiously setting goals is settling to live un-content’. Shrouded in positive propaganda and painted desirable is waiting for the enlightening moment where we achieve something and whisper: ‘So this is my purpose’. This rarely happens.

And if it does, we scorn ourselves at any sign of impermanence. A venture is not a successful life purpose if it isn’t forever, a hobby isn’t our calling unless we make money from it for the rest of our days…why? For something to be fruitful, it shouldn't have to be forever and part of our self-told life narrative. There doesn’t need to be a timeline dictating purpose or an overarching reason that we need to find.

Temporariness and fluctuation do not make things fruitless ventures.

So now I pose the idea that purpose can be momentary. It can be something as small as finishing a book, truly focusing on a film, and being sure to make a family event. I like the idea of a 'purpose' as enjoying this walk you are on, really tasting this coffee you are drinking, and making sure you get the sun on your face today.

Our purpose can be to do different things and enjoy them at the time, or to do nothing and enjoy this too. We don’t have to have an overarching unity in our life trajectory for it to ‘mean’ anything.