Discovery- What is your Life’s Purpose?

By Wendelyn Okemini

Anne and I have a running commentary on the meaning of purpose. There are no conclusions just yet; every time the subject slinks into our gabfests, we sort of twirl about the topic, we hot-potato ideas from palm to palm and resignedly conclude, “…when it comes, we will know it.” Today I asked a colleague for her definition of ‘purpose’ and she began counting down her To Do List, understandably, as many of us tie purpose to achievement. With achievement running the entire gamut from building an empire to building a family, this link is fair. Another colleague chipped in though, she suggested that purpose must surely be more than mere successful completion of your To Dos. Otherwise, people wouldn’t get everything they wished, worked and waited for… yet remain unfulfilled.

So we’re still stuck where Anne and I began. We often think of purpose as an epiphany, an “Aha!” moment amongst millions of obscure ones; that Damascene moment where our minds are illuminated with the reason for which we were created. But, what if our purpose isn’t just this one grand thing we were created to find or do? What if WE create our purpose? The dictionary defines purpose as “Full of meaning; significant”. It sounds easy enough. Living in one’s purpose may quite simply mean to live a life that is full of meaning and resultantly, is significant.

The idea of “finding your purpose” seems strange then. Who took it from you in the first place that you must go to India, Eat, Pray and Love to find it?

As a world, we have come to equate “living a full life” with “living a fast life”. These are two separate things. Living in purpose should logically involve you remembering your activities from the night before. Lol. And I mean remembering them with a little more than a gasp, shudder, a whispered “Oh hell!” and the suffocating cloud of regret. You are more. People often think living life to the fullest involves one gap year, two skydives, three mountain climbing triumphs and at least a respectable four one night stands. I disagree. I think living life to the full, is living a life of meaning.

meaning (ˈmiːnɪŋ)
n
1. the purpose underlying or intended by speech, action, etc
2. the inner, symbolic, or true interpretation, value, or message: the meaning of a dream.
3. valid content; efficacy: a law with little or no meaning.

Living a life full of meaning refers to an existence that is rich with a symbolic, inner value. It’s realizing that are important, you’re worth something in the grand scheme of things. You count. When I die, I want my life to have counted. I need my time on earth to mean something, to matter in a way that keeps me here, clutching on to the soft tendrils of God’s green earth even after the soft brown earth has quietly cushioned my whitened skeleton. Probably selfish, it’s definitely self-glorifying. Yet, I wonder if this is perhaps not what all humans are called to be, what we’re created to do; to make the time on earth count. The world ought to be better because you came. There has to be a good reason you’re here, otherwise, why keep sending people to populate earth’s space?

The other day, I was watching Oprah: Behind the Scenes. I just sat there in my pyjamas, wailing like a mortally wounded banshee. Can you believe Oprah has given out 62,685 scholarships in her 25 year career?! I must tell you the best bit; she had NO idea she had touched so many lives! She was just there minding her own business, doing the best she could in her own little space, not knowing all over the world she was dragging down walls of limitation, slaying dragons, destroying dream killers and being at least nine types of great!

“Success comes to those who do not waste time comparing what they are doing with what others are doing; it enters the house of the person who says everyday, “I will do my best.” People who seek inly success rarely find it, because success is not an end in itself, but a consequence.”

-Paolo Coelho

There were tons of recordings from people whose lives had been changed, futures guaranteed and dreams fulfilled, just because one woman chose to do more.

Now, many of us think, “well if I had that Oprah money, I’d give out 62, 686 scholarships! POW!” *insert Diddy “Take that, take that” voice here*. But, can I just say Oprah didn’t give out that number of scholarships in one day? She began by giving one to one deserving single mum, fighting for that cause she believed in, sponsoring those two children from inner city schools…You have that chance now, what are YOU doing to make a difference to someone else?

We all have something to offer…but so many of us are insular. How can you find your purpose when it’s waiting for you to create it? What do you think Oprah was made for, what’s her purpose? If there is indeed a grand plan for her life, somewhere in that story, maybe it’s just a part, but somewhere in that story is the mandatory requirement to turn some people’s worlds around for good. She is living in purpose. I think of purpose as this dynamic, ever-evolving, ever-present force that we add to everyday; we create our purpose. And your purpose CAN be simply to come, take up space for 90 odd years and go; adding nothing truly invaluable and leaving nothing substantial in your wake (or sleep. See what I did there?! *drops mic*).

If I were a Pentecostal pastor, I’d ask you to turn to your neighbor and scream, “That is not your portion!”

Whose portion is it though?

Many of us love the prayer of Jabez, “…that you would enlarge my territory (God)!” in 1 Chronicles 4:9. We often ignore the other half”…that your hand would be with me and that you keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.” Powerful truth. That’s my prayer as I continue walking this evolving line of purpose. I keep reminding myself that two things I want from my life are to live with great memories and leave with a great legacy. As a result, my life is focused on creating memories that add up to a worthy legacy. Living life to the fullest means making decisions that add meaning to more than just my life, it means looking out AND reaching out. Sometimes it’s harder, it takes a little more effort, time or money. It’s hard but it’s always worth it. The joy on the face of an unexpectant person when you do what they want but are too beaten to ask, or when your hard work in teaching pays off, oh man I wish I could bottle the feeling and sell! I’d be bawlin’!

It’s a little at a time I’m learning. These days my prayer is just to add value to anything and anyone I come across. To make anywhere I am better BECAUSE I was there. I am comfortable thinking this is why I was created. For right now, I’m walking in purpose. My life has to count for something and contribute to something bigger than myself.

You can find more AMAZING articles from Wendyln on her blog Suitsscandalandthegoodwife