Finding The True Purpose Of Life

Millions of people strive to find and fulfill a purpose in life every day, all because we need some formless type of validation to make our lives seem somewhat rewarding. Everyone wants to have a purpose in life, but it's how much you work and strive for it that differs in the end. Knowing where you're going, knowing what is right for you and working on yourself to help others is a great start in fulfilling your purpose, whatever that is. Thriving to find a purpose in life and actually succeeding are two different things, both revolving around the main idea that finding a purpose is how to make a difference from the years we have lived on Earth.

Working to fulfill a purpose in life is beneficial for you, not only because it brings you somewhere you want to be, but also makes the time you spent getting there worthwhile. “The only way to get somewhere, you know, is to figure out where you’re going before you get there”, a quote by John Updike, has a lot more meaning to it when you take the time to listen. Having a plan in life is a great start, but knowing and being aware of what you're doing, and where you want to go, is the leading way of how you're going to get where you want to go. Although it might be difficult to comprehend, knowing what path you're going to take beforehand is extremely helpful when figuring out your end goal. No matter how long the path may last, it's still the right path to take. Personally, I believe that the more you look at the quote, the more ways that you can see how it might be interpreted. He’s also talking with regards to the conclusion that no matter where you go, you're going to go somewhere. Although this might be a strange path, it's up to you to decide whether it's the right one or not. 

Even though we are “programmed” to believe we can do anything we set our mind to, sometimes what we set our mind to is not what we want to do. In some cases, doing something else seems like the right thing, even if it's straying off the path you were previously on. In the movie Highschool Musical, Troy struggled to find his purpose, whether it was basketball or singing. Although he did play basketball first, he later realizes that this is not his goal and life and puts singing first ahead of basketball. Ignoring the fact that this is a Disney movie made for kids, we can all see how it ties in with our main message. Sometimes, what we are doing and what we want to do are two  EXTREMELY opposite things. Having the courage and strength, allowing you to be able to differentiate the two and realize what you want, is such a major stride on how to have a significant, fulfilling life. Troy had two things he was passionate about, but he decided in the end that signing was what he wanted to do most. Realizing this was his purpose, that's what he did, and clearly his life was better that way. 

By striving to find a purpose and what you are meant to be doing, you inspire other people to do so as well, adding on to your main purpose in life. Someone who I know personally, and who strived to find their main purpose in life, is my mother. Having a kid at 18, working to become a nurse, and eventually having 2 more kids, she found her purpose, as well as inspiring me to work and find my own. Not only did my Mom work hard to get where she was now, she did it with three kids of her own. She realized that her purpose in life was my siblings, her job as a nurse at the Grey Nuns and me. However, even though she is happy now, it took her a long time to get where she is. Tying in with my earlier point, not only does she inspire me, but she also kept working to find this purpose and never gave up no matter how hard nursing could be. Even though she took many different paths and explored new things, she always came back to nursing. This is how we know that if you trust your gut, you'll always end up on the path where you’re supposed to be nearly every time. 

Seeking, and working on yourself is the way in which you are going to find and fulfill your purpose on Earth is important. Although whether you decide to follow it  is up to you. While living the stereotypical “have kids, a family and a house” life may work for some people, that might not be everybody's dream. To make your life have more value, and to have a purpose in life, you must make getting there worthwhile, do what we believe we are heading towards, and make sure that we inspire others along the way. Working on yourself, while still striving to find a purpose, is obviously going to be very hard to do and work on. Although if you truly try, and truly believe that you can make a purpose out of your life, do it.