Every being born on this planet has the right to life, liberty, physical integrity, and the pursuit of happiness. Those are not just a legal concept but a universal truth that binds us all. They are the very purpose of our existence.
Human Development Phases
From the moment of our birth, we embark on an adventure called life. We explore our environment and ourselves, guided by our parents or guardians. This environment shapes us and aids in our initial development. Our initial purpose is to nourish ourselves with food and knowledge that will be essential for our basic functioning. Our mere presence brings joy to others. In these moments, our brain is like a sponge, eagerly soaking up knowledge. We jump from topic to topic, reveling in the joy of learning. We are not yet fully aware of our true selves, but we are filled with the wonder of discovery.
When we reach adolescence, we already have acquired knowledge about the world around us and some of the rules. With higher critical thinking, we begin to question everything. We form our identity according to the environment and the need for autonomy. We think we know everything, we are always right, and our parents don’t understand us. With our behavior, we take risks and feel special. We form our first thoughts about what we want to be. We know about our rights, but sometimes we don’t recognize our obligations.
As we approach our twenties, we enter early adulthood. As still young and immature persons, we want to be treated like an adult. At this time, the first serious disappointments and life milestones begin. Many people’s plans don’t come true, so they start to reconsider them. We finish school, experience the first emotional sorrows, the first separations, and realize that the world is still unknown to us. Yesterday’s students have to enter the world of adults and find a job, a partner, and much more. As a still undeveloped individual, a person is still guided by the principles of social order in life planning. Otherwise, a psychological crisis occurs due to the impossibility of understanding our life purpose at that moment.
Purpose and Social Expectations
The environment in which we live is mostly shaped by certain rules of behavior and the life events sequences. As an adult, it is up to you to find a job after finishing school, get married, buy an apartment/house, give birth and raise children, eventually get a pet, and wait for your retirement at work. Many people find this template the easiest to follow. The second way implies a more rapid psychological development and self-awareness. Many perish and lose themselves following their parents and environment. On the other hand, all beings expect various life milestones because life is not a utopia.
By passing through all the stages of development, from birth to late old age, constant changes and searches are observed. Despite well-established social behavior, there is no sure formula and unique advice on how to find your purpose.
On the one hand, we are pressed by social expectations and impositions, and on the other hand, by the search for our self and purpose. Hence the question that sometimes comes to mind: Hey ChatGPT. What is my purpose?
Life Purpose Types
In order to describe what can be a purpose, we need to make some classifications. The purpose of life can be viewed from several angles, and some are humanistic, religious, biological, professional, philosophical, and, above all, personal in nature.
Humanistic purpose tells us about helping others, positively influencing the community, fighting for justice, and contributing to humanity.
The religious purpose relies on divine and spiritual action. Serving God, attaining enlightenment, and perfecting the soul are the purposes of a life guided by these principles.
Biological purpose advocates survival and reproduction as a means of sustaining life. Apart from annoying relatives, this purpose is also promoted by many states as propaganda for demographic development. On the other hand, this purpose is the only one that does not seek meaning. It states pure biological functionality.
The professional purpose of an individual is reflected in achieving innovations and scientific achievements. With that, someone is leaving a legacy for future generations. Its purpose is reflected in the principle that you become what you create.
Philosophical purpose is the liberating fact that life as such has no predetermined purpose. The only semblance of living with purpose is merging with nature and your reason. Everything else is absurd because we are constantly fighting against a world that does not make sense.
The last but also the most important purpose is personal. Personal purpose is authentic, hedonistic, and aesthetic. The individual finds his happiness by creating meaning and beauty. That purpose is found in creating art, learning, traveling, loving, and connecting with yourself. It is the individual who personally gives meaning to his existence.
In practice, social standards are interwoven with biological, religious, and humanistic purposes. The social system uses them as a tool to preserve social order and development. This fact can be examined as soon as we step on the street or among acquaintances.
If you have a desire for your development and purpose, then you do not have the correct answer as to what the purpose of existence is. It is not even necessary to discover it early because the whole life is one big adventure. The purpose of existence is to find one’s self, one’s development, and contribution to the environment. There is no point in measuring the purpose and value of life. It is individual, valuable, and unique, regardless of whether it is a baby or an older adult.
I have always been fascinated by the personal, philosophical, and humanistic purposes of life. Being an individualist by nature, I never fit into many social standards. For this reason, those three purposes gave me comfort. They give me a realization of how valuable we are in our existence. You have to realize that your success and purpose are not just about becoming an inventor, a millionaire, a priest, or having many children.
Perhaps the best guide is the well-known expression: “You do you, I do me.” Accepting that everyone has their way of functioning and personal choice is the best thing.
If I had to describe the purpose, it is something that gives beauty and improvement to people’s lives.
For this reason, the purpose of life and our existence can also be:
- When you influence a person with your positive words or actions. There is a huge chance that you will never know that you helped someone, but the purpose has served its purpose.
- When you indirectly help someone to develop and contribute to the community. This most often refers to parents, guardians, partners, and assistants without whom some people would not have achieved success.
- When you make the life of a being (child or animal) better by adopting it and taking care of it. There is no better meaning than providing someone with a home, love, and security.
- When they know you because you are cultured, you can cook well, or you are a good motivator. In this way, your environment is filled with beauty due to your dignity, care, and faith.
- When you create an innovation, you write for others, you build, or you make with your hands. Your professional purpose, in addition to helping in the present moment, also creates legacies for future generations.
- When you love someone unconditionally, and in many ways, you make their life better.
- When you work on your psyche and on past bad patterns, traumas, and wrong environments. Sometimes, the greatest contribution to society is another healed person.
- When you make a mistake in choosing a profession. Then, in later years, you decide to work on something that fulfills you and is useful for society.
- When you emotionally, financially, or physically support your family or community.
- When you seek truth, knowledge, and wisdom with the purpose of understanding the world and your place in it.
- When you are a caring parent who raises children by example and teaches them how to be better than the previous generation.
- When you dedicate part of your life to volunteering. You can help at least one person find the strength to live.
- When you lead a healthy life and take care of your body. You do that with the aim of staying fit and present for those who need you in the long term.
- When you break bad family patterns and relationships and be the first in a generation to change that.
- When you plant trees, plants, vegetables, and fruits. You believe that preserving nature is a long-term commitment.
In the end, in a primal, priceless way, purpose can be existence itself.
The world constantly forces us to be something more and to chase after achievements like in some game. In this process, we very often lose ourselves. We are confused by external criticism and the impossibility of connecting with ourselves.
To exist as an authentic “me” and to live like that is a huge purpose.
We have been living our purpose of existence since the first moment of our birth. In breathing and presence. In silence and a smile. In that we simply are.
