"What is my life's purpose?" - Let's deal this puzzling question.

This life of ours, is an unasked gift. There is no objective way of living it as such. Each life form is living by its own conditioning.

As of humans, we 8 billion presently follow the ways which our predecessors invented themselves - from many past generations.

One day I wondered, what's the one common goal behind which every human must work, and strive to attain?

As one philosopher puts it very nicely, we are both the marble and the sculptor of our lives.

So, every thinking human must once ask to oneself, "What the hell I am here for?"

People, notice this. Most of us have desires and dreams which are not really ours. We just grow up observing our surroundings - and define 'successful life' in those limited terms. We work out our asses off for it, imitating others. In most cases, our 'stolen' dreams remain unattained. Wonder why? Well, our inner selves never wanted it. It is clear that if the Antarātma awakes, no force can resist it - nor laziness, nor external obstacles. 

But then this question arises - How to realise this damn Antarātma's purpose!

Again, a caution is necessary.

Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet and playwright, gives us this astonishing wisdom :-

"If you want to be a grocer, or a general, or a politician, or a judge, you will invariably become it; that is your punishment.

 If you never know what you want to be, if you live what some might call the dynamic life but what I will call the artistic life, if each day you are unsure of who you are and what you know you will never become anything, and that is your reward."

Oscar here means that there is no need to define away our life purpose all at once. It is an error - a doorway to stagnant life. Instead, we need to be dynamic. 

But aye!

How can then we set goals and work?

 Are we not to dream or aim? 

Isn't all this "life purpose" idea then a contradiction in itself?

We need something as our life purpose in such a way that our lives are not totally booked away to it, and nor we are a slave to it. Now you get how complex this issue is. But don't worry. Let's think our way out of this dilemma. 

The way humans have been evolving so far - we are a society which is extremely cooperative and inter-dependent. As they say, no man is an island!

Therefore, it is crystal clear that the one who will serve the best, will live the best. By serving, I mean - by giving and contributing to the society. Well, ignoring luck factor and other uncertainties, it is very logical to say that the higher an individual has SELF VALUE, the better he/she shall live.

Let me explain better.

I am currently studying in 11th, preparing for IIT-JEE. So obviously my goal is to get admission in one of India's best engineering colleges.

Ask any JEE aspirant about this 2 year phase of preparation. It is total isolation from all kinds of things - a sacrifice meant to promise a good future.

But as we do some quick research online, we find that even the top IITs don't promise you settled life. So even these 2 years, plus the extremely stressful 4 years of college can't give you a seal-deal of enhanced future.

Wait for the bigger shock. Even analysing entire engineering field as a whole, the crowd pursuing it in India has become downright obsolete and dull. I'm not making this up myself. Infosys founder Narayan Murthy has said it. (Check out one of our prev blog on it)

What's my point, afterall?

I believe in something which I call the 'value theory' of life.

It says that we must constantly strive to sharpen our own sword of character, wisdom, practical skills, morals etc. We must expand in all spheres of life, simultaneously. 

As the Bhagvad Geeta says, "Ati-Sarvatra Varjayate". It means that 'too much of everything must be avoided'.

As we live in a socialistic world, where service is the highest action, we all must constantly strive to progress in versatile fields in our own capacities.

Again, there is no such thing as interest or dis-interest. Whatever we explore whole-heartedly, we get intetested in- and master it effortlessly.

Hence, the value theory advices to keep adding value to your character, and be a bombshell of skills and talents.

In the language of economics, be the best product out there, be the most comptetant, preferable and useful asset to the society - and you shall no more have to worry for your life's purpose!

Thanks,

Daksh Parekh.