8 Myths about purpose which need to be eliminated
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8 Myths about purpose
The following are 8 myths about purpose which can hold you back from finding your purpose, your passion and investing fully in yourself.1. I have to be a special class of person
When you think of purpose, you may think of people in certain types of jobs e.g.
- Priests
- Nuns
- Doctors
- Charity workers
People like this are certainly living a purpose, but you may be surprised to learn that a life purpose doesn't have to be so selfless or saintly either. Living with purpose is nothing more than making a commitment to live in a specific manner which enables you to make a positive contribution by serving others. Whether you choose to perform surgery or sweep roads, you can do so with great purpose. Purpose is not about your job title, it is more about the way in which you choose to work.
2. It has to be a calling
When you think of purpose as something which is reserved for certain groups of people, you may feel that you need a special calling or epiphany in order to find your purpose. This myth really is nonsense and it can prevent a lot of people from discovering, and living, their purpose. Undoubtedly, life will give you clues as to the purpose you might choose to live but it is unlikely to be in the form of an epiphany. When you choose to reflect upon your life and look within yourself, you will find many clues to guide you towards your purpose.
3. It is religious
Many religions preach about the need to live with purpose. Some people, who do not practice any religion, then see purpose as some form of religious doctrine and thus reject the idea. While religion does encourage living with purpose; living with purpose is certainly not exclusive to religion. Purpose is more about living a life which makes a positive contribution to society, making life better for others and for you.
4. It has to be something new
Your purpose does not have to be new or original. You can make a positive contribution to life without having to invent something which the world has never heard of before. In reality, there is little new in the world. New products tend to be adapted from pre-existing products and new services are adapted from pre-existing services.
It is fantastic if you do create something new but it is not necessary. Where you want to make a real difference is not with your input but with your outcome e.g. when I coach a client, it is not about using new methodology; it is about helping them to create better outcomes in their life.
5. Purpose requires sacrifice
This goes back to the myth of purpose being a special calling for a special group of people. We think of the monk who commits to the monastery and sacrifices life in the outside world. That, however, is thinking about purpose in the wrong context. Purpose is determining the type of life you want to live and committing yourself to it. When you do so you will find that there are things in your life which you no longer need. There will be things which you have always that you no longer feel the need to do. Letting go of these things allows you to live your purpose freely; it is not sacrifice. It is a simple decision which allows you to make the most of your life. For someone who does not have the same purpose, it may seem like a sacrifice but they are not viewing the situation in the same context.
Take an Olympic athlete for example. They party less, socialise less, eat healthier and consume less alcohol during their careers. For somebody whose purpose does not include sporting performance, this may seem like a big sacrifice. For an Olympian, these are small decisions which are part of their life.
6. Purpose is a pleasant dream which doesn't fit in reality
Sadly, many people live their lives caught up in the busyness trap. They are constantly busy rushing from one task to the next. These people often think that having a purpose is a nice idea but they are far too busy for it. They need to ask themselves the following questions:
- What am I busy at?
- What is all of this busyness really achieving?
- If I look back on this period of my life in 10 years time, how am I going to feel about it?
Being busy and making a difference are not the same thing. You can get a lot done without doing anything useful. When you live with purpose, you realise that you cannot get everything done. A clear sense of purpose helps you to determine which tasks/activities you need to get done and which you have to let go of. If you are going to be busy, you might as well be busy doing the things that really matter to you. Purpose allows you to do this.
7. It is something which I must be born with
There are 2 common ways of thinking about purpose:
- We are born with a purpose within us which we must discover
- We have no pre-destined purpose but we are free to choose our own purpose
So, which is true?
The answer is 'it doesn't matter'. Whether you are trying to discover your purpose, or create your purpose, the process and the benefits of a purpose are exactly the same.
On a personal level, I do believe that we are born with a purpose within us which we need to discover and awaken. I believe that we receive little clues each and every day which help to guide us towards our purpose. However, if I were to believe that my purpose is something that I must choose; these clues could just as easily be clues about the type of purpose that I might like to choose.
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8. It has to be my job
Purpose is never your job. Your job is merely a mechanism for living your purpose Take the following example:
Your purpose may be to educate people about their health or to improve people's health. Becoming a doctor would be one way of living this purpose. There are, however, many other ways in which you could live this purpose e.g. as a nurse, as a health coach, by being a positive example . Purpose is more important than the job title.
It should also be noted that living your purpose is not just restricted to the workplace. It is something for all areas of life including family, friends, volunteering etc.
To discover your purpose, check out the Living Purposefully Workbook.
Living with purpose enables you to make a positive contribution to the world around. You can help yourself and help others by focusing on more than just yourself. Within each individual lies the ability to make a real difference. There are many myths about purpose which prevent people from finding theirs. When you live without purpose you can make a difference but you restrict the level of contribution that you can make. With a clear purpose you can make quick and effective decisions to ensure that you make best use of the resources at your disposal. You can commit yourself fully to your work knowing that you, and the people you care about, have a better life because of your efforts. Image credit: Avi Or-Lee