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Have you ever wanted to be one of those people that seem to have limitless energy? Who jumps out of bed every morning invigorated, ready to take on whatever life has in store? Who is eternally optimistic, rolling with whatever challenges arise? Maybe you are one of those people. If not, one way to tap into that kind of resilience is to have a clear sense of purpose and to live by it every day.
Viktor Frankl, Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist and author of the influential bestseller Man’s Search for Meaning, is one of the forefathers in research on the topic of purpose. Conducting the majority of his formative research in the concentration camps of World War II, Frankl determined that human beings can get through almost anything when they know why they’re doing it.
The meaning in life
Frankl suggests there are three ways to discover this: “(1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering.” Notice that collecting material things is not on his list.
As you look at your life, ask yourself how you’re doing on these fronts. Are you creating, being creative, working towards something? Are you being of service, contributing to something greater than yourself? When was the last time you experienced something new? Connected with another person in an intimate, soulful, meaningful way? Finally, what’s your general outlook on life? Are you ever the victim, vigilantly waiting for the next trauma to strike?
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Why?
Can you answer the question ‘why’ in your life? According to James Collins and Jerry Porras in their article “Building Your Company’s Vision” (Harvard Business Review), “One powerful method for getting at purpose is the five whys…ask: ‘Why is that important?’ five times. After a few whys, you’ll find you’re getting down to the fundamental purpose.”Not all whys are equal. While it’s important to ask why in the context of purpose, in challenging times be careful not to ask, “Why does this always happen to me?” A far better question to lead you back to purpose is, “What am I supposed to learn from this that will help me to better serve?”
It’s important to take a step back from the busy-ness of your life to take a look at the big picture. Once you’re clear about what you stand for and why you’re doing what you’re doing, you'll tap into a limitless supply of energy and optimism. As you answer your ‘whys’, the ‘hows’ all fall into place. H&L
If you have a burning life question please email
lifecoach@healthandlifestyle.ca |
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