Knowing your purpose is more important for some than others but it is something that is important for everyone on some level. Your purpose is largely based on your view of the world, the meaning you take from it and how you choose to interact with it. From this you might in some way question what is the meaning of life? Everybody will have their own personal answer to this.
But sometimes it can be hard to develop a sense of meaning and purpose in a world full of suffering and injustice. As we search for the truth and reality of our lives we will discover upsetting realities that are difficult to comprehend that may lead to a sense of hopelessness. During my teens as I learned about the suffering and inequality that billions of people around the world experience I arrived at the conclusion that life is meaningless. This was quite unhealthy and really ate into my ability to experience joy or satisfaction in my life as for me it was all set against a meaningless reality. Fortunately, I have since developed a sense of meaning in life and I now believe living in this world is important and worthwhile. It is hard to know exactly how this sense of meaning has come about. I still am still aware of the suffering and inequality in the world and I still have the same atheist beliefs.
One of the leading authorities on meaning in life in psychology is Viktor Frankl. Frankl was a young doctor when he was sent to the concentration camps by the Nazi’s where the majority of his family and loved ones were murdered. During his experiences Frankl developed his theories on the importance of having a meaning in life and the consequences of living a meaningless life. In his book “Man’s Search for Meaning”, Frankl describes how even in the bleakest circumstance of the Holocaust a person could lead a meaningful life despite their suffering and how having a sense of meaning was central to survival.
From his theory Frankl concluded 3 ways to develop a meaningful life:
Creating a project or item: This can be anything or any outcome such as training and being part of a sports team, working towards school or college results, setting up a business or community cause/group. What matters is that you make it your own and you feel it is important.
Experiencing something or encountering someone: This can be engaging in an activity where you notice a development/improvement of your experience over time such as yoga, playing a musical instrument or art. It can also mean being involved in a relationship that develops and grows into something positive. This relationship could be romantic, a friendship where you share common interests or a professional relationship where you and your colleagues bring out the best in each other.
The attitude you develop towards suffering: This is largely derived from Buddhist philosophy that proposes “life is suffering”. Practically speaking, we all experience some degree of adversity be it bullying, financial difficulty, mental or physical health difficulties etc. Our attitude to dealing with these greatly impacts how well we cope with our circumstances.
These points can possibly be summarised to: become involved with or start something that is engaging for you. Make connections with other people where you work together on things. If you experience circumstances that hold you back, explore the best possible way to see them. Try to accept them and work towards managing them as best possible. The whole idea of “meaning in life” is quite abstract and isn’t interesting for everyone. However if you feel that you are missing a sense of meaning or purpose in your life or want to explore your current beliefs, I strongly encourage you to try out Frankl’s method for developing a meaningful life that you find engaging and full of purpose.