Purpose

What’s your life purpose?

That’s right, this post is going to be light and fluffy…

Just after I finished university I was doing some writing work for a man who was planning a new business magazine. At first he seemed conservative but looks can be deceptive.

I had been working for him a while when he told me he could see the spirit of an elderly chinese woman with me. Apparently his parents had headed the supernatural society in Germany. He had grown up with the other-worldly.

So conversations at work were unconventional. One day he asked me about my life’s purpose. I was 21, at the time. “To learn all I can and teach all I know” I said without a beat. Wow. Over twenty years later that sounds like a good answer. It fits.

When I am not learning I’m stagnating. I love the challenge of learning, the growth, even the fear – now I’m old enough to see the value of it.

And teaching. I want to give back. I want to wrap words around experiences because it’s something I can do. I was the toddler talking in busy full sentences walking right under the kitchen table.

What’s your purpose?

So think back (if you’re old enough). What would you have answered at 21? Sometimes the confidence of youth let’s the answer out without the second guessing.

Or now? Maybe you didn’t have a clue then, but if you’re older now, who are you? What do people praise you for? What comes naturally? What feels good?

Questions

Ask questions. What would you like to change? What makes you angry? What makes you happy? What do other people say about you?

What’s important?

What’s important to you? What news story drives you nuts? What stories do you love or hate? Or like/ dislike if you’re less of a drama queen than I am. Love and hate are good sign-posts.

What do you want to change, damn it!

Maybe it’s just the parking conditions near your home. Maybe you want to help people with mental illness. Maybe you just want to help people to dress better, eat better, feel better. Maybe you want to keep the crooks off the streets.

What do you want?

What appeals to you? What would you like to do today, if you could do anything. What are your favourite activities? How would you spend your time if you had one month to live?