Why do we need purpose? The German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, wrote this in his book, The Gay Science:
“Gradually, man has become a fantastic animal that has to fulfill one more condition of existence than any other animal: man has to believe, to know, from time to time why he exists; his race cannot flourish without a periodic trust in life–without faith in reason in life.”
When I read this for the first time, I finally understood why we need purpose.
We need to have some kind of trust in life. Just surviving, eating, working, and procreating, it’s not enough.
Why are we here? Why does it matter?
In search of meaning (at a rat race)
We’re all participants in this grand rat race. We wake up, work, eat, sleep, and repeat.
But when we stop to catch our breath, we’re confronted with the harsh reality — most of us are just surviving, not living.
We’re like hamsters on a wheel, moving fast but going nowhere.
And that’s because we’re missing something crucial — a purpose.
In our relentless pursuit of happiness, we often overlook a critical aspect: the search for meaning.
We’re so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, chasing dreams, amassing wealth, and seeking pleasure, that we forget to ask ourselves why we’re doing all of this.
Why does it matter? What’s the point of all this running around if we don’t even know what we’re running towards?
Purpose is the compass that guides us through life. It gives direction to our actions, meaning to our existence, and a reason to wake up every morning.
It’s not about achieving grandiose goals or accumulating material wealth. It’s about finding fulfillment in what we do and making a difference, however small it may seem.
Think about it. When you’re working on something you’re passionate about, you’re more driven, more focused, and even the challenges seem worthwhile.
That’s the power of purpose. It doesn’t make life easier, but it makes it worth living.
Finding your purpose
So how do you find your purpose? You just make it up. It comes from within
You simply need to uncover it.
What gets you excited? What’s something you need to do every single day? And why? How can you use your skills and passions to contribute to something larger than yourself?
For example, for me, it’s writing. That’s my purpose in life. I feel like this is what I was meant to do. And it took me years to figure it out.
First, I didn’t start writing until I was 28. And it took me to about 35 when I finally realized, I simply need to write. Not to be a social media content creator, podcaster, or YouTuber.
You can find your purpose too if you don’t know what it is. It’s a journey of self-discovery, introspection, and trial and error.
Don’t rush this process.
Take your time to explore, experiment, and reflect. And remember, your purpose may evolve over time, and that’s perfectly okay.
Living is all about purpose
We’re not here to just exist; we’re here to live.
And living means finding our purpose, pursuing it with all our might, and making our little corner of the world a better place.
So, stop running aimlessly in the rat race.
Take a pause, remind yourself of your purpose, and start living a life that truly matters.
Because, in the end, a life without purpose is like a ship without a rudder, lost at sea.
