The Purpose Journey

Your purpose can be seen as your mission—a unique pathway shaped by your passions, skills, and core values. It embodies what you feel driven to pursue and defines your role in the world. Purpose is action-oriented, steering you toward specific achievements.

Mark Twain famously remarked, “The two most significant days in your life are the day you are born and the day you discover why.” The “why” represents the search for meaning and the desire to live fully and appreciatively. This quest for meaning is universal, setting the stage for our understanding of existence.

In contrast, the meaning of life invites deeper existential contemplation about our place in the cosmos. It revolves around comprehending our existence and its significance in a broader context.

The Search for Meaning

The journey to find meaning happens within ourselves. A common error is to pursue joy, significance, and material wealth externally, often leading to disappointment. Instead, we must turn inward, even if solitude can be uncomfortable.

Meaning often includes themes of love, connection, and contributions to society. It elicits profound feelings, much like the spontaneous tears of joy, gratitude, and unconditional love. To receive what you seek, you often must give it first, as the universe operates on the principle of reciprocity.

Philosopher Albert Camus suggested that life is inherently devoid of meaning, and it’s our responsibility to create our own. While this perspective may seem bleak, it serves as a prompt to reflect on how we perceive ourselves and our surroundings. Wisdom comes from learning from our experiences and evolving from within.

Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist, articulated in his book “Man’s Search for Meaning” that discovering meaning—often through love, work, and suffering—is crucial for our well-being. After enduring horrific conditions, he connected with an inner purpose, rebuilding his psychiatric work devastated by the Nazis to honor his love for his wife. Unlike many who lost hope, Frankl’s focus on inner meaning allowed him to become an enduring symbol of resilience and determination.

Ultimately, we are all on this quest together, driven by an innate desire to understand ourselves and our relationship with the chaotic world around us.

The Interplay of Purpose and Meaning

While purpose is about your individual path and contributions, the meaning of life encompasses broader existential inquiries. Your purpose can enhance your understanding of life’s meaning, but the meaning of life serves as an overarching framework within which purpose exists.

Aristotle proposed that eudaimonia, or flourishing, is the essence of life, intertwining the concepts of purpose (flourishing) with the meaning of life (achieving well-being and fulfillment).

Carl Jung, a noted psychiatrist, asserted that realizing your potential is vital to the meaning of life. Meanwhile, Abraham Maslow referred to this ultimate goal as Self-Actualization within his Hierarchy of Needs.

By transcending our ego-driven perspectives, we can aspire to find purpose in our journey toward meaning.

In summary, while purpose and the meaning of life are distinct concepts, they are intimately connected. Your purpose is your mission, influenced by your unique talents and aspirations, while the meaning of life is a broader existential exploration. Together, these elements guide you toward fulfillment and a deeper understanding of your role in the world. By shifting your self-perception to align with a higher version of yourself, you unlock insights about who you truly are, what you desire, and the path to achieving it.

By engaging in this practice daily, you can begin to see yourself in a new light.

Thanks for reading my article. I support busy professionals and executives as a trusted freelance creative strategist, ghostwriter, sales copywriter, and communications coach. Transform your creative processes, messaging, pitches, conversions, and overall impact. For more information, visit www.CliffordJones.com, or subscribe to The Clarity Letter on Substack.

Sources:

Mark Twain Quote: BrainyQuote

Albert Camus Philosophy: Philosophy Basics

Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”: Goodreads

Aristotle’s Eudaimonia: IEPC

Carl Jung’s Views: Simply Psychology