Forty years of pursuing and achieving the American Dream left me feeling unsatisfied, unfulfilled and not at peace with myself. What happened?
Following an extended period of evaluation and self-searching I made a discovery that was so simple and at the same time frightening. Why hadn’t I found the answer earlier? What held me back?
The fact is that our society teaches us that if we just follow the guidelines,we will fulfill ourselves via accomplishments and material rewards. And so we get on the treadmill and stay on the treadmill thinking that if we just clear the next hurdle we will achieve joy and happiness.
What I’ve learned is that it is only when our mind, body, spirit and soul are in alignment can we truly reach satisfaction and fulfillment. We must find our purpose, our meaning and live it if we are to reach the fulfillment that we so desire. That does not mean that the American Dream must be forsaken, it only means that we must be pursuing it in harmony with our purpose.
As I dug deeper to find my own purpose I discovered these truths.
We all have a purpose – one that provides meaning and direction for our lives. We may not have found it yet or we may have found it and suppressed it but we all have one.
It is never too late. No matter your age, no matter your past decisions, if you have only one day left to live, starting the journey will bring peace, satisfaction and fulfillment to your life.
Finding it requires a disciplined and detailed process. It is not something that is found by accident.
Purpose is not a job or a role. It is a guiding light, how you apply it to what you do is up to you.
Staying true to it is even more difficult than finding it. Family, friends and society in general are constantly causing us to question its veracity and its value and your ability to live it. Don’t give in.
Fulfillment and satisfaction come from the journey not the achievement of our purpose. It is from tending to the journey that the fruits of satisfaction and fulfillment are harvested.
Living our life with meaning requires that we must be all in. Our mind, body, spirit and soul must all be committed to our purpose. We must be aligned and balanced in our approach. We cannot get and stay fit if our spirit, soul and mind aren’t aligned towards that end. We cannot discover our purpose unless our mind, body, spirit and soul are committed to the task.
Purpose lies within and we must find it and the power that comes with it or be forever controlled by what lies without.
The time to begin is now. We need not wait for a life-changing event to prompt action. Start from that feeling inside that says, “Is this all there is”? Do it now and live a life of harmony and peace.
wonderful and a very eloquent description of something I have also come to understand …………………unsettled when our of kilter with purpose……………in flow and seemingly effortless when honouring it. Doesn’t mean that we won’t still have life challenges to deal with but it does mean the default mode is content happy satisfied exhilarated. Working hard not hard work! Thank you for sharing Gary! Keep flying high
Well stated, Gary and a great start on our GPS journey to a happier life.
For most of my life, my challenge was to first think of seeking, and then finally finding my life’s purpose. Everything changed once I found “me”. . . which is not really “me,” and is well beyond the “me” I had attempted to find and had already erroneously defined.
A very well written article ☺️👍.