What’s your life’s purpose?

[griffithee]

Always the best answer

42

That and chase DW around the table.... Brown Chicken Brown Cow!!!!

 

[nvestysly]

I don't have a one-word or even one-sentence answer to the OP's question. Several years ago DW and I participated in a study circle type of program that a friend at church was offering - Voluntary Simplicity. We didn't really know what to expect but found the 12 week course of study to be very helpful to our finances as well as other aspects of our lives. The study program utilized the book Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.

Thinking back to that experience, the book and associated workbook contain several "homework" projects that require the reader to undergo an evaluation of how money, possessions, daily activities such as w*rk and hobbies, family, etc. fit into our lives.

Working through that Voluntary Simplicity program cemented many of the things DW and I were already thinking - less work, more family, less clutter in possessions and other aspects of life, and ultimately feeling more fulfilled by focusing on things that we found more meaningful to us.

Are we there yet? Not entirely, but we've definitely made progress. We ER'd nearly eight years ago. Spend time volunteering while traveling in North America in our RV. It's a process, a continuum, for us. Much happier now and yes, we have found our purpose. It's many things and constantly evolving.

 

[38Chevy454]

I'm not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example.

 

[Jpg1717]

Purpose

Oddly, it's easier for me to tell you what it's not.

It's not to accumulate wealth or power. It's not to put down or take advantage of as many other people as possible. It's not to "win the game."

Maybe it's simply to be remembered for the good you've while you were here. Which I guess brings me to this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, as told to me by an older woman when I was about 16 or 17:

“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”

. CaptTom. Thank you for sharing. Thoughtful analysis.

 

[Kwirk]

I aim to maximize my happiness integrated over my lifetime while minimizing my integrated unhappiness. Fortunately for those around me, making others happy gives me pleasure while hurting them gives me pain.

 

[Fermion]

This time around I am trying to kill at least 10/12 Mythic bosses in World of Warcraft before they are trivialized by the next expansion leveling.

In Universe 5,678,422,801,211 I managed 9/12, other times I never even played.

 

[pacergal]

My goal in life is to be honest, kind to people and animals, limit my impact on the earth.
My fun in life is to enjoy my wonderful adult children and spoil my grandkids. No, wait, they're not spoiled, just well loved!

 

[Turbo29]

“In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness.

And God said, "Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done." And God created every living creature that now moveth, and one was man. Mud as man alone could speak. God leaned close to mud as man sat up, looked around, and spoke. Man blinked. "What is the purpose of all this?" he asked politely.

"Everything must have a purpose?" asked God.

"Certainly," said man.

"Then I leave it to you to think of one for all this," said God.


And He went away.”


― Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle

 

[Sunset]

Making and enjoying the most wonderful glass/bottle/barrel of wine.

I used to have this as one purpose.

It gave me purpose to raise, nurture millions of subjects, I was their god as they toiled away eating sugar. I relished in their success and growth.
Then I exterminated them all due to their propensity of overpopulation.

 

[EastWest Gal]

It's not a question I have spent much time considering. I 'prefer being useful to being productive, and having fun. What I consider fun has varied seasonally and at different times in my life. Planting a garden is fun and useful in April and May, and is neither in January. I'd rather be the renaissance (wo)man than driven by a single purpose.

 

[sengsational]

^I like (identify with) the Renaissance person bent. You can often help others when you take that route, and that's what makes life worth living.

 

[kcowan]

My purpose is to make a noticeable difference in every endeavour I choose.

The differences are not always welcome by others at first until they see the difference!

 

[Teacher Terry]

My whole life I have been drawn to helping people. No surprise that my first career was as a social worker and then helping people with disabilities return to work. Now in retirement I teach. I have always helped people on a personal level with whatever was needed. I really enjoyed having my kids and family. Now with most of that behind me I am focusing more on what I want at this stage of my life. Also did dog rescue for 15 years and now just have 2 lap dogs. I enjoy my adult kids and thought I would miss having grandchildren but I don’t. At 65 that ship has sailed and I doubt I would want to be actively involved. I am enjoying semi retirement and our slower pace of life and travel.

 

[Spock]

I'm just a free range human (or I used to be free range) on a tax farm.

 

[WyomingLife]

I'm just a free range human (or I used to be free range) on a tax farm.

+1

 

[DAYDREAMER]

Ever since I found my purpose, I haven't stopped playing with it!

 

[Sunny]

Being a positive influence or force for others, and making those close to me happier.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

I don't feel a particular need to have one all encompassing purpose these days. I have goals like decluttering and doing more yoga, but that is about as deep as it gets.

 

[Rianne]

I used to have this as one purpose.

It gave me purpose to raise, nurture millions of subjects, I was their god as they toiled away eating sugar. I relished in their success and growth.
Then I exterminated them all due to their propensity of overpopulation.

I thought this thread was about your purpose, not the purpose of a bacteria or virus. Noticed your personal quote is from Louis Pasteur.


My purpose is to convince the world my ideas are the best and to learn to accept failure. It's been a tough road.

 

[O2Bfree]

Understand and characterize human cognition and how it evolved

That has always intrigued me as well. To that end, I've been studying and dabbling in Zen Buddhism. The energy I devote to this waxes and wans, but it's what I'm most curious about. It's a great purpose for these stay-at-home times!

 

[aja8888]

I don't feel a particular need to have one all encompassing purpose these days. I have goals like decluttering and doing more yoga, but that is about as deep as it gets.

DLDS, is there a "bottom" to your decluttering after all these years?

 

[arbeadub]

My purpose is to provide sustenance.
My goal is to resist entropy.
My dog still looks up to me, unless I'm lying down.

 

[HI Bill]

Life's purpose versus life's goals?

Not sure I have a purpose, exactly, except to ensure that my wife and I have the means to enjoy life post-FIRE. This goes along with my primary goal (starting in 1998), which is to FIRE so that I can dive and travel. This was partly inspired by a former coworker. He was working on a FEMA earthquake project in California. He casually said "I just want to have fun". I've tried to take that one to heart. As I've mentioned before, the desire to FIRE was further inspired by eight of my 'Maui multi-millionaire friends' who all retired before 50; all but one failed at their original attempt at RE; one's still w$rking at age 69!

My post-FIRE goals include getting in better shape, travelling the world, diving the world, sharing underwater and above water photography of what I see, and just enjoying what's here. Life is short. Time in RE is shorter.

 

[bonvoyage]

That has always intrigued me as well. To that end, I've been studying and dabbling in Zen Buddhism. The energy I devote to this waxes and wans, but it's what I'm most curious about. It's a great purpose for these stay-at-home times!

Interesting! I am approaching this topic from the psychology side. I have worked in the AI field for almost thirty years and am frustrated with the limitations of machine learning. One of the main reasons I plan to retire this year is to spend my time studying human cognition.

 

[bloom2708]

1. Retire early. 2. Think about what my life purpose should be.

Still working on #1.