Purpose....?

Question

What does it mean to have a purpose? I heard that the single most motivating factor, more than goals or dreams, is to connect with a sense of purpose. What does that mean? also any examples?

Answer 1

Having a purpose means having a sense of what you should be doing with your life. It means understanding the point of your existence.

This is a bit tricky because, existentially speaking, the only point of existence is to perpetuate existence.

So, here's the deal. You can get depressed because you think this means your life is pointless, (which would also by definition be pointless) OR you can commit to playing the lifegame, which is what "connecting to one's sense of purpose" means.

The three basic aspects to the life game are:
a) Energy collection.
b) Reproduction.
c.) Defense.

One an individual level this means you should get a job, find a mate and protect your family.
On a societal level it means you job will typically fall into one or more of these categories.

E.g. If you became a farmer, or oil rigger. You would be in the Energy collection business. If you started a dating service, or night club – you’re in the reproduction biz. Become a policeman, soldier or doctor and you’re defending us from criminals, enemies and disease.

Hunter/Farmer, Lover, Fighter – take your pick ‘cause here’s the kicker:
Pleasure is life's mechanism to encourage life sustaining behavior.
Which means that Happiness is comes from the sense you are fulfilling your purpose.

Want to be happy – get in the game.
Huwah.

Answer 2

A purpose is something that you choose for yourself. A person with a "purpose" in life is one who has decided on a particular role to take on. The often though claim this is destiny or fate where no such thing exists.

Your purpose in life is whatever you choose it to be. This is not a guarantee that it will be easy, or that you will accomplish it.

Answer 3

For instance:

I want to be a doctor (or nurse) to help people
I want to be a teacher to influence young minds
I want to invent _____, as it will help the world
I want to be a writer, to inform people
I want to be an artist, to create beauty for others to see

Someone following-through with any of the above (or many others), would therefore have a purpose in life.

Answer 4

really i cant answer that but the best thing i can think of this (try imagining your self as Pope Juan Paul *ex-pope* and think from there whats your purpose then you might get the idea than go back to your self and do the same to your self) you see.

Answer 5

'The Erikson life-stage virtues, in the order of the stages in which they may be acquired, are:

hope
will
purpose
competence
fidelity
love (in intimate relationships, work and family)
caring
wisdom '

How?

'Stage One Oral-Sensory: from birth to one, trust vs. mistrust, feeding;
Stage Two Muscular-Anal: 1-3 years, autonomy vs. doubt, toilet training;
Stage Three Locomotor: 3-6 years, initiative vs. inadequacy, independence;
Stage Four Latency: 6-12 years, industry vs. inferiority, school;
Stage Five Adolescence: 12-18 years, identity vs. confusion, peer relationships;
Stage Six Young Adulthood: 18-40 years, intimacy vs. isolation, love relationships;
Stage Seven Middle Adulthood: 40-65 years, generativity vs. stagnation, parenting;
Stage Eight Maturity: 65 years until death, integrity vs. despair, acceptance of one's life. '

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Erickson

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative.

Answer 6

A purpose is something you are passionate about. You will go anywhere and do whatever you must do to accomplish it.

Answer 7

it means to have goals...a sustainable reason to go on living.