The purpose of life is a life of purpose

By Pallavi Rakhecha

“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why” – Mark Twain

Alone, bullied, perplexed, depressed, these are not mere adjectives, but the state of my mind of the 10-year old boy who was sitting near a bathtub. He was born with a rare disorder, tetra-amelia syndrome, a condition in which a child is born without arms and legs. His parents were very happy when they managed to get him admitted to one of the recognized schools despite his physical disability. But this proved nowhere motivational for the boy and in fact, the way he was bullied by his schoolmates for his disability, he was driven to sit near the bathtub today.

He was just 10, hadn’t even seen and experienced the beauty of life beyond the walls of his school and home, but as we know, “Depression isn’t a war you win, it’s a battle you fight every day” and he had decided to give up on this battle. He rolled over the bathtub with 6 inches of water, almost drowned, but suddenly he could visualize his parents and brother crying at his grave. He quickly got out of the bathtub and decided to give up on the thought of ending his life. An innocent life was saved!

At a later point in time, his mother showed him a newspaper article about how a man was dealing with his physical disability. The boy realized that he was not the only one who was going through these struggles and how he could become an inspiration for others by the way he decides to live his life. He started figuring out ways to do everyday chores without limbs, right from writing with the help of his toes to working on a computer, he had learned it all. He started giving inspirational speeches and powerful coaching to physically challenged people. Soon, that man who had saved himself from suicide at the age of 10, was known worldwide for inspiring people to overcome their challenges.

That man was none other than Nick Vujicic, a live example of what we as humans are capable of achieving if we discover the purpose of our lives. Nick thought his life was meaningless until the point he found out the purpose of his life, helping people find hope and strength to overcome their life’s challenges. Finding out his life’s purpose helped Nick turn obstacles into opportunities.

The Search

Viktor Frankl, the founder of logotherapy, published a book called “Man’s Search for Meaning”, which describes his experiences and includes an overview of logotherapy.

So what does searching for the meaning of life actually mean? It is to find your life’s ultimate goal so that when you wake up every morning, you know that you are on the right path, unaffected by what people tell you. That is when you will find true happiness and contentment.

The Intersection of ‘Why’ and ‘How’ A quote by Nietzsche, truly sums up why we should all know our purpose of existence, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.”

When you know why you’ve been brought to this world, other setbacks that come your way just feel to be temporary inconveniences. But who will be able to tell you what your life’s purpose is?

The answer is, YOU, yes you are the best person to find the true reason for your existence. Scott Dinsmore’s article Discovering Happiness through Purpose in 3 Natural Steps , tells us about three things that must align for you to discover your purpose and they are values, strengths, and passion. We need to introspect and find our true values. Our values clubbed up with our strengths and persistent passion can make wonders happen.

Only do what adds value A famous line from one of Shakespeare’s plays states, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances...” We will all have our exits one day, so why not live a meaningful and purposeful life till the time we are playing our roles on this stage. All of us have just got one life and this journey will end before we even realize it, so why spend even a moment on doing things that don’t add meaning to your life.