Einstein famously said that we can live our lives two ways: as if everything is a miracle or nothing is a miracle. Your bare breath, your presence in this world is indeed a marvel.
Let the new days of the next year be immersed in purpose. Purpose is not commonsense, nor does it come easy, if it did, we would not be reminded of our purpose constantly.
Mindset:
We must plan to be purposeful, as counterintuitive as this may sound.
Purpose is a matter of mindset. Your purpose for cooking a delicious meal is to have your family enjoy it. The reckoning of the purpose guides your action. The thought of the outcome becomes the purpose; the reason for action. Hence, purpose is not serendipitous. It is planned, estimated, and debated. The purpose for acting is hidden in the subconscious mind, and in a conscious moment, by contesting various outcomes for doing something or acting a certain way, we are attempting to foretell a socially significant and acceptable desire.
Choice:
Humans are one of the only species cognitively capable of playing out different scenarios regarding the purpose of an action before even acting, and, upon acting, hope for the best. Anyone observing a painting such as Eduard Manet’s Victorine would feel the purpose of the painting from an individual emotive experience, hence, the purpose sought in action and reaction is imminently unique (the “purpose” of Manet’s work, set in motion a myriad of debates about the painting.)
If an outcome is unique from the hoped purpose, confusion and inner conflict sets in. Purpose precedes action, thus, purpose is simply to act after deep thought, and subliminal deeds to a myriad of scenarios played out in the mind and heart of You.
Expectation:
Purpose is cloaked in expectation, and by nature is a selfish mode for contentment, yet it requires others. Paradoxically, purpose drives empathy because humans want value and gratitude that can only come from mutual exchanges. Actions are driven by the hope that the purpose is recognized; people often feel dismayed when another does not appreciate their effort, and yes, their purpose.
Acting and thinking with purpose nurtures sincerity. For we know in our hearts what is sincere and what is not. This sense of sincerity you feel is interlaced to how genuine other’s actions of purpose are.
Thus,
We feel purpose as we act and respond.
Appreciation:
Lack of appreciation for our purpose driven efforts creates a mental void between the purpose and outcome because it leads to loss of empathy for others’ efforts.
Hence, purpose in the moment stems from the potential reactions from the past which may be similar in the future. This is what carries the present moment forth. Your resolve contained in an act, culminates the past, present and future. This is purpose.
Effort and determination makes life purposeful; this is the miracle of living, and as Einstein alludes, this is a miracle, or not.
Dr Renu Persaud