Curated in Self | Work | Productivity
Purpose in Life: To Help You in Work
My way forward becomes foggy and unclear for no good reason
Somedays, I can see my purpose, but on others, my way forward becomes foggy and unclear.
I feel lost and weak to the point that I start procrastinating or stop doing my work completely.
What is my purpose in life? I keep asking myself about my purpose.
Many people live their lives without ever knowing what they want to do; they just do it. Others, like you and me, keep finding it. Purpose is similar to the concept of truth: it keeps changing its meaning from person to person, generation to generation.
I think it works like this, at least for me: I have to keep asking the question and keep sensing my purpose after learning something more about myself and life in general. But I’m not a psychologist or a life coach. I become unsure for no good reason.
I have been trying to learn what others say about their purpose in life. Some say that the purpose is to be useful, some say it is to be your true self, and most of the people say: it is to be happy.
But all this seems too general. I wanted to find something that could help me in my work routine.
During this search, I came across a speech by Mark Zuckerberg. He was the principal speaker at Harvard’s 366th Commencement. It was interesting to read his insightful speech. After reading it, I felt that I understood the meaning of purpose that could help me in my work life.
What is Purpose
Mark Zuckerberg started with an anecdote. When John F. Kennedy went to visit the NASA space center, he saw a janitor holding his broom, and he asked him what he was doing? The janitor replied, “Mr. President, I am helping put a man on the moon.”
In psychology, the purpose is a definite and generalized aim to do something that is important for you as well as the world beyond your self. The janitor, in the above example, is doing his job, but he knows it is a part of something bigger.
Then Mark Zuckerberg says, “Purpose tells you that you are needed, that you have something better ahead to work for. Purpose is what creates true happiness.”
When you know your purpose, you push yourself to be there to do your work, to do your best, and to stop procrastinating. I often have trouble putting my best foot forward if I cannot see where I am headed or what is the benefit of my hard work.
Every generation has a purpose
Mark Zuckerberg says that every generation has its defining works. More than 300,000 people worked to put a man on the moon, including that janitor. Millions of volunteers immunized children around the world against polio, and millions of more people built Hoover Dam and other great projects. And now it’s our generations’ turn to do great things.
The best-selling author Daniel Goleman says that organizations that ignore this generation’s commitment to purpose over profit are taking a big risk.
Our generation is the most purpose-oriented. In a survey, according to Daniel Goleman, 63% of all the workers under 35, said the main purpose of companies should be “improving society” instead of “making a profit.”
Every successive generation is more purpose-oriented than its predecessors, says a study conducted by LinkedIn.
No one knows when they begin
Another interesting part is where Mark Zuckerberg tells a secret: no one knows everything when they begin. You can begin your work, keep your eyes on your purpose, and with each passing day, you’ll get closer to what you want.
He says that ideas don’t come out fully formed. They only become clear as you work on them. You just have to get started. He declares, “If I had to know everything about connecting people before I got started, I never would have built Facebook.”
He says, “We just knew that all people wanted to connect. We thought one of the big technology companies would do it. But the ideas were so clear to us that we just kept working on it. Day after day after day.”
The message here is very unpretentious. We have to work and try to stick to our work routines. Our hard work and involvement will solve many of our toughest problems. With each small success, we move closer to our objectives; at every step, we see our path a bit more clearly.
Create purpose for others
“I’m here to tell you finding your purpose isn’t enough. The challenge for our generation is creating a world where everyone has a sense of purpose,” said Mark Zuckerberg.
Procrastination is a problem faced by our generation, but if we can feel a sense of purpose, we can continue to work. Mark Zuckerberg suggests doing this by making communities and sharing views and knowledge.
We wrongly think that only the governments or the big companies can do something big. If we have an idea, and we develop the required skills, we can do big things too.
‘The idea of a single eureka moment is a dangerous lie’’ ~ Mark Zuckerberg
It requires continuous daily work, strengthening our connection to our community, and having the courage to do what we want to do.
Conclusion
I know some people who don’t know what they want to do in their life. They know about their interests, but they are not sure whether they can make their hobby a profession.
To find a purpose, you have to find out what you are naturally good at and then develop related skills. If you are good at what you do, you’ll create your own market demand.
Here is a possible list of steps to follow your purpose in life, and to try to create a sense of purpose for everyone working around you::
- Start the work that you are good at, and it is even better if it makes you happy.
- If you have a big vision, people are going to call you crazy.
- Figure out the obstacles and try to find ways to overcome them by working, day after day after day.
- Anything you do will have some issues in the future; consider them a part of your work.
- Involve others and create jobs. Share your ideas to create a sense of purpose in your community.
The most important point you need to know right now is to take your interests seriously and explore them in this fresh perspective. Keep discovering your interests by learning something new every day.
