Finding and Living in your Purpose?

Reading Time: 4 – 5 minutes

After finishing university I was posed with the question “What’s your purpose?“

What am I going out into the world to accomplish?

Thinking about it, I’ve realized that only a select few individuals ever think about this question. This realization came from observing my acquaintances, but I guess that shouldn’t be enough, as I don’t know what goes on inside of their heads. However, they all seem to do the same thing after graduation, as is the norm in society: Get a Job – Work – Home – Sleep – Repeat; maybe with the occasional gym membership, out to eat, and other recreational activities. However, I hardly see them doing any more for themselves personally; was your dream only to work a 9-5, get married, have children and continue with society’s “rules”?

Personally thinking about my life that way seems morbid.

Throughout high school I’ve struggled with the decision of what I would like to be when I grew up. It changed every year from a florist, artist, banker, teacher to the most serious one ever, an architect. I honestly never thought about it seriously and those answers only covered what I dressed up as on Career Day.

The only certainty I had at the time was that I didn’t want to be the conventional doctor, lawyer, or accountant that everybody else seemed to gravitate towards. Those careers held no interest to me; I wanted to be different, and my mind didn’t accept them. I held on to being an architect for a while, and even picked up a class on it. However, the cost of going to school to continue that dream was way more than selecting something else. So I went to college and studied Environmental Science; nature, and how the earth worked was another interest of mine besides the obvious art.

Going away for college I realized that maybe I could have the best of both worlds, and probably more. The internet could easily become your best friend.I created a Pinterest, and realized that everything other people were out there creating, I could too. There was really nothing to it, and the ideas were all in my head.

So what was stopping me from creating, and exploring my artistic abilities?

Well, at first I started off with downloading adobe creative suite, and was eager to try out all their applications (Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Lightroom etc) But obviously I got ahead of myself; it was too much to learn in such little time (trial period), and I was too busy with school. As quick as my plans came they soon disappeared along with my motivation. I didn’t quit entirely as I kept a sketchbook, and would occasionally sketch or doodle.

I soon met a friend who was interested in the same thing as I was i.e designing; he shared his ideas, and I shared mine and for once I felt something. I felt progress being made that someone liked my designs, and it was a chance to show them off. He saw potential in me that I never really thought anyone would. I also started a blog, but at first I couldn’t find my niche, or how to portray my blog how I wanted. So after sometime I let it die, occasionally going back to it based on a wimp of inspiration.

All in all I feel like my purpose truly lies in creating, and being an artist; whatever it may mean from blogging to graphic designing or DiY projects. This doesn’t mean I have anything against environmental science, or feel like my degree is a waste; but I feel like I can manage both under the right circumstances, and given the opportunity.

As you can see it wasn’t easy *and it’s still not* fulfilling my purpose, but the secret is NOT TO GIVE UP. If you give up, you’ve lost and society wins. You’ve fell captive to their norms, and would go on to be another statistic, is that what you want?

This in no way means that I have my life together *because I don’t*, but it’s a major start. Take some time to figure out your purpose, and write down your goals/plans toward fulfilling them. If it’s just in your head it’s mainly a wish, but writing it out step-by-step on paper makes a huge difference.

• “I want to inspire people. I want someone to look at me and say because of you I didn’t give up.”
• “Don’t quit your daydream.”
• “I was born to do more than just pay bills, and die.”
• “Don’t work 8 hours for a company then go home and not work on your own goals. You’re not tired, you’re uninspired.”

These are just a few quotes which stuck with me, and keep me going. Hopefully you feel the same way.

There is more to life than a 9-5!

What’s your purpose?