Have you ever asked yourself what your purpose in life was? If so, what was the

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   claptonaposted 9 years ago

   Have you ever asked yourself what your purpose in life was? If so, what was the answer?
   
   A friend posted an article about this.
   Basically the article said this was THE most important question to ask.
   And of course, the answer changes over time.
   What is the answer for you right now?
   
   

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   Austinstarposted 9 years ago

   Even if you knew what your "purpose" in life was, how would you have any say so over it?
   The purpose of a star, seemingly, is to be born, go through its life cycle, and then die. How could it change its destiny even if it had a "conscience"?
   We think we are all that and a bag of chips, but we are really just tiny life forms on a tiny planet in a tiny solar system in an outer arm of a medium sized galaxy that belongs to the limitless universe. The universe has more galaxies than grains of sand on all the world's beaches. And galaxies are born, go through their cycles, then die. This can take billions and billions of our Earth years.
   Our only reality is that we are born, we live our lives, then we die (or change atomic structure). Just like everything else in the entire universe.
   We think, therefore, we are, but our brains are less than a micron big compared to the whole visible universe and beyond.
   Our "purpose" is self-fulfilling and not under our control. So why worry?
   You can still make choices that affect your life, but it's doubtful that you can ever affect your "purpose", whatever it may be.

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Ok, then.
      I guess you never asked that question of yourself.
      Cheers.

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      Austinstarposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I'm pretty sure I did ask that question of myself. And life in general. I think I pretty much answered the question as well. Our "purpose" is self-fulfilling and not under our control. So why worry?

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   connorjposted 9 years ago

   
   
   I have contemplated this both significantly and periodically; I am afraid, I still have not settled on a final hypothesis. Although, through my journey on the 3rd Rock from our favorite star I gravitate to a quite simple idea that we exist to make this planet better in some way for all inhabitants not just ourselves. Of course this may sound nice and somewhat simple; however, if you contemplate this significantly one soon throws out that and struggles with the path we are on...

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      John Connor,
      I kind of agree.
      Better than taking up air in the form of a blob.
      Any idea of what that "to do" is?
      I've heard artist say they were born to be artists.
      Golfers born to play the game - their "passion"
      Your thoughts?
      Cheers

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      connorjposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Yes I have some idea; I truly believe all humans have some inherent abilities or gifts if you will.  Some are developed through life experiences some are simply in-born. I know mine has nothing to do with art, that became apparent in elementary...

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   TimRBermanposted 9 years ago

   The question is complex and depending on who we are as individuals, it is one of the three most important questions that bring us into a place of deep understanding and sense of joy. For many, they are chasing after some illusion of what they understand happiness to mean. This is crouched in the oft "if" statements.
   
   "If I had a better job and better pay, then I will be happy."
   "If my spouse understood me better, then we will have a happy marriage."
   
   The problem is that we are placing contingencies on how we define our own happiness. The reality is, to get to a deeper sense of happiness and satisfaction in our lives: We ought to answer three specific questions.
   
   1) Who am I? Without understanding who we are (much more than our ethnic background, cultural affiliation and that) on a deeper level, we are not able to answer the next two questions. Understanding who we are is about understanding our strength's, weaknesses, core values and beliefs. It is where we develop a value statement that is based on three core values.
   
   2) What do I have to offer? This question focuses on what we have to offer in order to discover what our purpose in life is all about. What are our talents? How do we live out our core values? In what capacity do we work within our communities and families.
   
   3) How am I able to be of service? This follows in tandem with what we have to offer. Soon after we discover what it is that we have to offer, we begin to understand how we can utilize our gifts, time, talents and be of service to others within our sphere of influence and community.
   
   Personally, I believe we tend to overcomplicate the "what is my purpose question" when it is simply about identifying who we are as an individual and in what capacity we are beneficial to others.

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Timothy,
      You summed it up well - Identify who we are, how can we benefit others.
      So much is wasted words in many conversations - when the answer is usually, relatively simple. What am I good at or what do I love to do?
      Great answer,
      Thx.

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   glorytoYHWHposted 9 years ago

   to glorify God. this has been since the beginning

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi glorytoYHWH
      Good answer - I understand what you're saying.
      I appreciate your answer.
      Cheers

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   m abdullah javedposted 9 years ago

   Hi John D Wilson. Yeah I did, would like to share the same with you. I feel the human's cutting edge should be effective usage of the faculties that they have been bestowed with. By making use of the senses, it look sense in realising that everything in universe has a purpose and it's existence is just to justify the same. What I feel about dawn and dusk coz of sun and waxing and waning of moon is just to realise the crux of purposeful existence of everything that exist in the universe.
   What purpose do I have then? How to realise that what I have understood about my objectives of life are true?
   The journey of realisation begins with a contemplation over self and the world around. The discipline on and over the earth indicates One Omnipresent and an Authoritative Being, His commands set things right, the existence of human and heavenly bodies justify the same. So I concluded that I should obey Who have created me and everything that exist. This should be the sole purpose of my life. Since His being is Versatile in true sense and has an expanse starting with the self of human being and spreading to the vastness of the universe, therefore my acts of obedience for Him should not confine to limited rituals and time being worship, rather every moment of life should have a strong dedication for His worship. I should feel that bowing head before the Supreme Being is worship and wiping tears from one's face is also a form of it. Giving charity is worship and looking at parents with love and affection is also worship. Surrendering myself to the will and wish of Almighty is worship and also behaving well with the people. In short I should regard worship of the Almighty is healthy and strong as long as I remain wellwisher and merciful for the humanity. This is what we learn from the disciplined universe which is obeying its Creator and has a beneficial relation with us.

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      muhammad abdullah javed,
      Wow, thanks for sharing - you shared a lot!
      I've read this and believe this.
      Man's purpose is to be of maximum service to his/her God and his/her fellow human beings.
      What more could one offer in a life?
      Great stuff!

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      m abdullah javedposted 8 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for the honor claptona. I feel the fellow hubbers who have contributed to your query also share this honor with me.

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   Paul K Francisposted 9 years ago

   I often wonder what my purpose might be and I am still wondering. But I get some ideas from some of the things I read like when Dickens has the ghost of Jacob Marley speak not of purpose, but of business, 'Mankind was my business; their common welfare was my business.', or when I read in the bible, 'To seek peace and pursue it.' I align the idea of purpose less with hidden meanings, and more with the things we do everyday and how our actions affect the world around us.

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      claptonaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Paul,
      Sometimes the most obvious is the thing to look at.
      At 63, still trying to figure out what I'm really good at!
      Not an easy question to answer with a lot of confidence.
      Appreciate you taking the time to answer.
      Cheers

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