What Is Purpose, Really?

It's a question that's plagued humanity since the dawn of time. What's the meaning of life?

According to the famous Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, it is the wrong question to ask. He proposes that we ask an individual and subjective question instead: What's the meaning of my life?

In other words, Frankl suggests that meaning is different for each individual. There is no point searching for an overarching meaning to life itself. To provide your life with meaning you need to find and then fulfill your purpose at any given moment.

Purpose Is Innate

It seems that for Frankl at least — and I agree — purpose is something innate within the individual, something that each person possesses by definition of the fact that they exist. In the very first step of purpose-finding it is of absolute and primary importance to internalize that purpose is innate.

All of existence is important. Everything exists for a reason. This can be explained from a divine standpoint or from an entirely secular, rational perspective. In fact, suggesting that some things lack purpose is unscientific and leads to huge oversights.

Lessons from Medicine

For many years doctors thought that the appendix was a redundant part of the human anatomy. But new studies have shown it harbors and protects beneficial bacteria. The tonsils were once seen as unnecessary — now doctors understand they serve as the first line of defense against infections. Ignorance of something's purpose does not indicate a lack of purpose — it only means we don't know what its purpose is yet.

The same applies to each human being. There are no two people who are identical — no two faces exactly alike, no two minds that think exactly alike. Our fingerprints and even our tongue prints are unique. If each individual is unique, it stands to reason that each person has a unique purpose that, to use Frankl's words, "demands fulfillment."

Purpose Is Not Destiny

Many people confuse purpose with destiny. Destiny is the belief that events are predetermined and the individual cannot control what happens. Purpose is different. When we say everyone has a purpose, we mean that based on a person's unique talents, abilities and passions, they are "built" for a particular purpose — no different than saying a car is designed for travel.

The Key to Complete Fulfillment

This innate definition of purpose leads directly to living life in a state of full self-expression. When your talents, abilities, strengths and passions are used to the fullest, you are fulfilling your purpose.

How often do we completely express who we are? A person living in full self-expression feels that all of their talents and abilities are being used productively. Conversely, the feeling that our potential talents lie dormant leads to dissatisfaction.

Passion Leads to Purpose

The process of finding your purpose involves first finding your passions. We agree with Peter Benson's definition of passion: "something that is a constant in your life, that you are willing to make sacrifices for and gives you tremendous joy and energy. It is an important part of who you are."

We become passionate about things that afford us the opportunity to survive in a way that is unique to us. The activities that give us joy and energy are those that awaken life within us. By identifying our passions, we will be led to what makes us unique — and that can manifest into our purpose in life.

Purpose is something innate. We have a purpose whether we know it or not. Even if we never fulfill our purpose, our purpose still remains.