Preksha Life Skill - I Choose, I Live: 01.1

Why Are We Here on Earth?

Have you ever thought about the purpose of your life? 

Your life's purpose? What methods have you tried to discover your life's purpose? 

Do you think that it is necessary to discover the purpose of life?

Less than 1% of the world population knows their purpose. Are you one of the 1% people who are living a life of purpose? If not, then would you like be more satisfied and start living a life with purpose.

Wheel of Life

Our wheel of life can be described as a 'seven day cycle’. It has been said, that on Sunday we are born, on Monday we finish our studies, on Tuesday we get into professional life, on Wednesday get married, on

Thursday we become parents, on Friday we become old interned and on Saturday we leave this World. With few deviations, this is the cycle of life, yet many of us fail to achieve our potential because we live our lives as if we are never going to die and we die without ever have truly lived. This happens when our lives move without direction and with no central or fundamental purpose.

‘Would you be content with this story about your life? ”I went to school, got married, worked for a company or ran a business, raised two beautiful 1kids, had wonderful home and then retired.” The story ends here, without any mention of your inner life. Is this what you want to see your precious life as?

Are You Happy With Your Life?

Are you truly happy with your life? Are you satisfied with your occupation? Are you enjoying your lifestyle? Do you ever feel bored, burned out, frustrated or lifeless? If I ask you, ”How is your life going?” How would you respond?

I posed this very question to a very successful young businessman. His response was a reflection of how he had lived his life - very confusing and lacking focus. Though he had accumulated material luxuries and comforts he desired, he said he was still missing something fundamental in his life that he could not quite put his finger on.

Those who have no central purpose in their life easily fall prey to petty worries, fears, and troubles. How many of us have consciously intended to live a meaningful life? Many people feel directionless in the world. They work hard but don't seem to get anywhere worthwhile.

Why Are You Unsatisfied?

A great many people are not happy with their life for a multitude of reasons. Our true inner consciousness is able to show us a better way of living, but the pull of the material world or our fear of leaving our comfort zone overpowers our true spiritual needs. The majority of people want to remain in the lap of luxury while at the same time they are not satisfied within themselves. They do not want to live with the angst of feeling   unfulfilled, nor do they want to change their present lifestyle.

 The reason for having such feelings is that people do not spend enough time thinking about and acting on what they really want from life. Consequently they haven't set themselves a central goal or purpose. Purpose gives us hope. As though we are set on automatic actions, we are living a cycle of sleeping and waking. Each small or big action conscious or unconscious is our choice and decision. Hour by hour, day by day we are shaping our life. In between these times, there is no contemplation of our life-purpose or destiny. Most just try to follow their peers, "keep up with the 'Joneses” and keep busy in the rat-race of life. People do not have a life-navigator which can alert and guide them onto a purposeful path in life. How then, can life be fulfilling? Can you simply pull the car out of your garage and start driving, if you have not decided upon your destination? An enjoyable, satisfying journey is impossible if you don't know where you want to go.

Purposeful Living

Every life has a purpose.

Mother.Father.Student.Teacher.

Nurse.Engineer.Author.Artist.

Lawyer.Fireman.Gardener.

Friend.Football star.Coach.

Social worker.Pianist.

Salesperson.Soldier.

What Is Purposeful Living?

”The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”

-Robert Byrne

Let us imagine that you are gifted with an item of your wildest dreams. If this gift is a car, say a Mercedes, how would you like to use it? Would you enjoy the experience of driving it or would it serve a utilitarian purpose like hauling your basic supplies like wood chips for fire or for transporting buckets of water from a well? Would you like to use it as you would use a pick-up truck? If you were given a luxurious home, filled with the finest furniture, would you use unlikely that you would it as a warehouse or storeroom? It is misuse these gifts in such a manner. The point being - if we do not use an object in the way it is meant to be used, we are - in fact - misusing or abusing it.

Herein lies a basic question in life-why are we here on earth? We human beings have been endowed with intelligence, reasoning and other attributes unique to our species. What is the purpose of this priceless life? What does or should life mean to us? Should we be tasked to pursue a particular goal(s)? Such perplexing questions have been pondered throughout the ages by thinkers from all cultures and persuasions.

Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at North eastern Illinois University, once wrote to 250 of the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, and intellectuals in the world and asked each person ”What is the meaning of life?" He then published their responses —which were quite discouraging—in a book. Some of these famous thinkers offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say that they were clueless. In fact, number of these intellectuals asked Professor Moorhead to write back and tell them if he discovered the purpose of life! What is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of success and fulfillment? What do I really want in life and from my life? The word ‘purpose’ is defined as ‘the reason for which anything is done, created, or exists.’ For our discussion, our purpose relates to the meaning of life — why do I exist? What is the reason for your place in the universe? Life's purpose is the destination, and to reach that place, you spend each moment of your life on that path. The purpose is such a personal goal that we live and die for it. No matter whether you are driven by religion, business or education, you always breathe with that purpose. Purpose makes life meaningful, beautiful, resilient and successful.

Since each person is unique, from their DNA to fingerprints, it is reasonable to believe that each of us also has a purpose, a reason for being, that is uniquely personal. We need to discover that reason. We find each individual having diverse interests. On this basis, people can be categorized as — work-centered, family- centered, friend-centered, pleasure-centered, enemy- centered, possession-centered, self-centered or value— centered.

There are almost as many possible interests as there are individuals to pursue them. Does that interest drive the purpose of their lives? Purposeful living is identified by a life of values and not by a life of interest. The central purpose of a good life should always be guided by values that develop the highest qualities of humanity which make us pure and positive. For example, the axis of the life of King Harishchandra was truth. He never lied throughout his life - even in adversity. The central value of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King was non- violence. Their purpose was always what guided them in any circumstance.

Bhagwan Mahavir: To be free from the attachment and aversion in life, to realize the true nature of self and to develop universal love and compassion for all living beings is the purpose of life. The foundation of this purpose is non-violence, equanimity and the sense of equality for all living organisms on the planet.

Bhagawad Gita: The ultimate purpose of life is only to attain everlasting love, peace and happiness (Anandam).

Buddhism: The ultimate goal of a Buddhist is to attain nirvana; the enlightened state in which the person is free from greed, hate, and ignorance. The way to nirvana involves the person showing love for others, being compassionate and sympathetic of other people, and showing patience in all they say and do.

Mahatma Gandhi: Growing up with Jain religious traditions and a devout mother, the young Mohandas (Mahatma Gandhi) absorbed early on the influences that would play an important role in his adult life. These influences included - compassion for sentient beings, vegetarianism, fasting for self- purification, and mutual tolerance and respect for individuals of different creeds. Gandhiji never compromised his purpose —whether he was in India or overseas.

Acharya Mahapragya: The central purpose of his life was his resolution:

1) To become a perfect monk

2) Not to hurt his Guru AcharyaTulsi

3) To serve all mankind and kind

4) Not to have any negative thought to harm anyone.

These souls lived their life with purpose and became the models for millions to follow.