Can You Still Be Happy If You Don’t Have a Purpose?
There’s so much talk these days about purpose… kids at a very young age seem to be indoctrinated with the notion that if you don’t pursue your purpose, you’re somehow lesser… or that what you choose to do has no meaning or value.
This is complete bullsh!t
I didn’t find my true purpose until I was in my mid-50s… but in the years prior to that, I loved what I did… I experienced the incredibly joy of family and close friends… I brought two beautiful daughters into the world (with a little help)… and I was privileged to be able to have a big impact in people’s lives throughout my leadership career.
We produced an podcast episode some time ago about finding your purpose. I explored two very different points of view from well-known researchers and best-selling authors.
The first was Tom Rath, who says that purpose is essential to wellbeing. If you’re not pursuing your purpose, it will eventually have a detrimental effect on your health, wealth, and happiness.
The other was Marcus Buckingham, who captured my imagination with the line, Purpose is a lie. He calls out the fact that most people don’t ever find out what their true purpose is… and even if they have a job title like “Influencer”, it doesn’t mean that they’ll find purpose in that.
Don’t get me wrong here – both Rath and Galloway would probably agree that having a purpose is better than not having one.
But Buckingham points out that a lot of people who have purpose (like nurses, teachers, social workers etc) find themselves under immense levels of stress that no amount of purpose can compensate for… they burn out!
He suggests that you look for the red threads… the things in your work each day that bring you joy and happiness, even if they don’t align with your life’s work…
Scott Galloway, another global thought leader, is in this camp too… In a recent interview he said, “If you want to punch above your weight class, economically or romantically, then get out a spoon and get ready to eat shit! That’s a prerequisite for that kind of success!”
Galloway’s view is that you should find something that you’re both good at, and can make a lot of money from… and then pursue that, whether you like it or not… that will enable you to afford the things and experiences that give you an amazing life. He makes an excellent point.
At various stages in my life, I’ve probably been in each of these 3 camps:
There have been times where I knew that what I was doing wasn’t aligned to my true nature and purpose… but I mostly enjoyed it, and found solace in the red threads.
At other stages of my life, I made a bunch of money, which afforded me the opportunity to do things that most people don’t get to do… and that was awesome too!
And now, in this current stage of my life, I’m pursuing my true nature and purpose with energy and vigor – and it’s just a happy coincidence that I get to make money a the same time as living out my purpose.
Remember, you’re only in business for two reasons – to make money, and to have fun!
Purpose seems to be used these days as an excuse to avoid doing hard things. It’s like a lot of younger generation are saying: I don’t want to work hard, I want to pursue my dreams instead… I have to find my purpose. Oh, the irony!
Who ever said that realizing your purpose was even possible without a shit-ton of hard work?! Once you do find your purpose, you need to follow Scott Galloway’s advice… get the spoon out and start eating!