The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why. – Mark Twain
I still haven’t found that drawer on the file cabinet. Have you? I wonder what is inside…
What does that mean?
While this has not been definitively sourced to the late, great Mark Twain, I believe that it is a great thought. Until we are born, there isn’t much to our lives, at least not as we know it, right?
But at some point in our lives, we find out why we are here. I believe that we all have a function, a purpose, a job to do in this life. That is what the quote is talking about when we find out why we’re here.
While I don’t believe in predestination, but we all have unique talents which lend themselves to specific tasks. There are things that only you can do. People only you can reach.
Once we know why we are here, we can get busy fulfilling the purpose of our life, as we understand it at the moment. I say that because I believe that as we change, so does our purpose.
Why is paying attention important?
How often do we not notice something, often for a great deal of time, and then ‘suddenly’ we notice it? Someone’s new hair style, the person who has been dropping subtle hints for a while, or the new person at work or at the gym. Why didn’t you notice before?
Our minds cannot process everything around us. Sights, sounds, smells, and so much more are bombarding our brains all the time. We block out the things we deem unimportant for the task at hand. And when that task finishes and we come up for air, we suddenly notice things.
While that’s the way things naturally are, we can take control to some extent by taking time to look around, to listen, to take in data from our other senses. The same goes for the trends in our lives. If we pay attention to trends, patterns or habits, we can understand what is happening.
I don’t believe that you are born with a destiny. But you design your life through your actions and decisions. We evolve and change over time. As we do these things, we often take a trajectory. If we plot our points and look to the future, you can get a glimpse of a possible future, and what it is you were born to do.
Where can I apply this in my life?
We all have something we do well. And over time, we learn to do other things, and become more skilled in new aspects of our lives. When I was a teen, I couldn’t spell (I’m dyslexic). I couldn’t speak well (I stuttered). I couldn’t write well (couldn’t focus long-term, ADD). But over time these things have changed.
When I was younger, the internet didn’t exist. Then it was just for research and getting assignments mailed to us by the professors. Now the internet can reach people all over the world. As my skills have changed, and the world has changed, so has my purpose.
I’ve always been curious, and I have learned a lot over the course of my live. Now I can share this information over the internet with others in all the corners of the world. As of this writing, my blog has been read in 218 countries, territories, etc. Only 4 countries in Africa, two island clusters off the coast of Africa and Turkmenistan have evaded me.
My life has transitioned from gathering information to disseminating it. And by posting it out to the internet, I have made sure that it will remain available for as long as people continue to seek it. It has become my reason for existing because that is where my trajectory has taken me.
Where my trajectory will take me next? I’m not sure, but I will be looking out for the clues, paying attention to what is happening around me and to me. I will try to figure out what my purpose is, what my reason for existing happens to be. All this may just be another stepping stone. Who knows?
What are some of the things you are doing, and enjoy doing? What has the events in your life been leading you towards? Perhaps the end isn’t yet in sight. Perhaps you can’t see what is ahead of you. But you can see where you have been, and can guess what the next step may well be, right?
Take some time to consider what is and has been happening in your life, and what you might be doing next. It might be at work, or it might be a hobby. It might involve a skill you have denied in the past. It might involve a brand new skill you just learned, or are thinking about learning.
I believe no one is a waste. I believe we are all here for a reason. I believe we all have a purpose. I just don’t know what mine is, although I am becoming more convinced that it has to do with teaching or helping others learn. What might yours be?
Consider setting aside some time to consider these thoughts. You might be surprised at what you find when you pay close attention.
From: Twitter, @tonyrobbins
confirmed at : http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Mark_Twain#Miscellaneous – the last item in unsourced section – although no one else seems to have claimed credit…
Photo by Seth Sawyers
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what about individuals that are born with disabilities or mentally impaired? like is their purpose in life?
Thanks for stopping by and for asking such an interesting question.
From the few I have known, they have had the effect (which, in my mind is their purpose) of reminding me of my blessings. Their ability to do what they can do with their diminished capacities often amazes me. As an example, there are plenty of arm-less artists who are far more talented than I. And the ability they have to find happiness in their lives makes me re-evaluate what I consider important every time I interact with them.
They may not see it that way, and the mentally impaired might not be able to even grasp the concept, but that doesn’t stop them from living their live’s purpose.
I hope that answers your question.
I keep asking myself these questions and I sometimes feel like Eve when she ate the apple and became knowledgeable. I’m so wanting to know that I feel like a piece of a puzzle is missing. I feel so close to knowing something that I don’t know something
Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your comment.
Well, that’s a first step. Figuring things out is what humans do, however clumsy it may look from the outside. Keep looking, and trying to understand. Eventually, you will come to understand, or understanding will catch up to you. Which ever comes first.
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Congrats for you article. If you want to find out your purpose, i can help to do this.
Thanks for the kind comment.
Thanks for the offer, but I’m presently working with someone on that. But if I need extra help, I’ll keep you in mind.
You have put into words the way I have always believed about why we are here. You are an excellent writer and I think a great motivational teacher that I hope to see more people learning from. Keep sharing yourself with the world and let it become a place we want to live in. Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by and for the kind words as well.
Please remember that I cannot make these changes alone. We must all, each and every one of us, take up the task to lead by example, as best we can. And never forget that we are very strong, and that fear is our most potent enemy. Conquer fear, and the rest is easy. 8)
Brasil was here congrats bro Nice Job!
Thanks for the kind words, and for representing for your country. In the past week, 110 Brazilians have stopped by, and over 5000 in the past year.
I hope you stop by again, as I have 1200 posts to look through.
Too TRUE
Thanks, I appreciate your kind words.
Update – about 5 months ago, I got my first view from Turkmenistan, and have only Chad and the pair of islands left, discounting places which have had Top Level Domains created for them, but which are not being used. We truly live in interesting times.