Purpose is my purpose, so I’m always reading and researching the topic, and am deeply fascinated by the many conversations online.
In doing so, I recently came across this question:
Is purpose really mandatory (as in required) for living a meaningful life?
My answer is yes, but not in the way many think.
Most people associate life purpose with the roles we play and the jobs we hold, as well as the idea that we must be ‘achieving’ in traditional success terms. Meaning that we’re making money, owning property, getting raises, starting a family, etc.
It’s this idea that we must be “doing something” with our lives that leads people astray, because it’s deeply rooted in capitalism.
Capitalism tells us to work hard and produce endlessly so we’re considered ‘worthy’ for ‘contributing’ to society, and so we can make enough money to buy status symbols and afford a particular lifestyle. While some purpose expressions align with capitalism at this time, purpose isn’t inherently about work, production, or making a living. Plus, most of what’s considered a ‘worthy contribution’ is rooted in extraction, exploitation, and burnout from feeding rampant consumerism.
In reality, life purpose has two parts:
The seed of our purpose (who we’re here to be).
Our purpose expression (based on the times we live in, how life has shaped us, and what we’re here to contribute to the world).
The purpose work we’re here to do isn’t necessarily the same as the career we might pursue to make money and survive under capitalism.
Part of our purpose work is to decondition from systemic and social influences so that we can contribute to the world in the way that only we can.
Many people have figured out how to ‘win’ at capitalism (making all the money, buying all the things, and achieving all the milestones that society told us matter) whose lives feel meaningless.
They’re playing the game rather than living their purpose.
The reality is that, as humans, we need a sense of purpose to feel fulfilled.
It’s high on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for a reason:
Image credit: Bite Size Learning
It’s important to note that Maslow’s model was heavily informed by his time with the Siksika (Blackfoot) people and by his experience of their way of life, in which self-actualization was supported by and considered necessary to community-actualization. This then allowed for cultural perpetuity, ensuring values, knowledge, and traditions lived on.
That said, the word “self-actualization” doesn’t actually exist in the Siksika language. The closest word is niita’pitapi, which means “someone who is completely developed, or who has arrived,” but it was considered innate to every person from the moment they’re born. They also understood the importance of community care and ensuring everyone had access to basic resources and support, which made this work accessible.
It’s also important to note that Maslow’s model was never depicted as a pyramid, nor was there ever a Siksika model depicted as a tipi. Maslow himself didn’t believe we had to follow a hierarchical order to reach self-actualization, just that meeting basic needs is crucial for all humans.
Keep that in mind when referencing the comparison:
Image credit: Suzanne Pearlman
A challenge within purpose work is that most people on this planet no longer have their basic needs met, be that physiological, safety, or social, because of capitalism (and its parent system, colonialism).
This affects their self-esteem and ability to reach self-actualization, which is necessary for contributing to collective well-being. We’re all working our lives away to keep a roof over our heads, get enough food, and stay alive, all of which is perpetuated by these systems.
So then, when we see people who are happy, healthy, and living fulfilling lives, even if they don’t have a job or much money to their name, we begin to question whether purpose is necessary for a meaningful life.
All because we conflate the idea of purpose with how we make a living, when that’s wholly incorrect.
Some people’s purpose expression also earns them money.
Some people’s purpose expression doesn’t, and likely never will.
One isn’t better than the other; they’re just different expressions.
So, yes, purpose is really mandatory for living a meaningful and fulfilling life, but that doesn’t mean purpose or meaning comes from traditional work.
It means:
Doing alignment work to decondition from social and systemic influences and understand how you’re wired and who you’ve always been at your core. This involves understanding your personality and energetic wiring to know yourself more fully, not box yourself in, and to untangle from the subconscious winning strategy that’s been driving you since you were a child. It also means healing your unresolved traumas at the cellular and somatic levels, so you have more internal freedom and leverage.
Activating your purpose by operating from the frequency of your true desires, free from external influence and expectations. Because when you’re aligned and showing up in your fullest expression, aspects of your deepest and highest self open up and become available, allowing your purpose expression to reveal itself. But it’s more than just clarity about what our purpose is; it’s about energetics and embodiment. Our purpose doesn’t become active in our being until we trust in ourselves and our inner knowing and allow our legacy and vision to lead us forward.
Actualizing your purpose expression through a very specific type of action that goes against much of what we’ve been taught about manifestation and goal achievement. Actualize means “to make real.” In our context, that means taking your purpose expression from an idea and vision to work toward and making it a reality in your life, right now. Collapsing time and no longer waiting on external circumstances to change before you can access the opportunities, experiences, and influence you desire.
And, for some, it also means:
Amplifying your contribution-based purpose work into the world on a larger scale, which isn’t necessary for everyone. In our company, we call these “channels for change,” and they can be anything from a brand, business, or product to a podcast, TEDx Talk, or book, to a movie, art collection, or music album. Amplification is about increasing the reach and impact of your contribution in your communities, and this takes different forms.
There are many ways to engage in this work.
For starters, you can access our free Pinpoint Your Purpose training, which is pulled directly from our Actualize program:
Need help uncovering your purpose in life?
Get instant access to our free Pinpoint Your Purpose masterclass and chart a clear course toward aligned living!
Your purpose has been hardcoded into you since before you were born. But often, that purpose lies dormant as you try to navigate the world, getting buried beneath the many layers of obligation and expectation that feel impossible to escape. No matter how lost you feel, there’s a process for pinpointing your purpose and stepping into your fullest expression. This training will give you some essential resources and exercises that will help you pinpoint your purpose faster.
In this training, you’ll learn:
- What purpose really is (which is much different than how most purpose and coaches define it in the current industry).
- How to find the most aligned scale and scope of purpose work for you and decondition from the belief that callings look a certain way.
- The importance of alignment for living your purpose, along with how to navigate different purpose expressions as you evolve.
- How to activate the seed of your purpose so you can uncover who you’re here to be and start contributing to the world in your way.
Give it a watch if you haven’t already!
