Reaching the End...

I think when most people when they reach the end of something, whether it be their life, an activity, or for me personally, the end of a season of a TV show, I re-evaluate my life and sort of undergo a semi-existential crisis. Our more philosophical part of our personality comes to fruition – questions such as: what will be in our after life, how has the experience affected me, or what TV show will keep me occupied in my spare time now? - Are only some of the many questions that we ponder towards the end.

However, there are many other questions that need to be answered as well. This is a time for all senior students to start thinking about their future. What do you want to be when you grow up? What degree do you want to graduate with? How will you get there? These questions of character, of purpose, are all dropped in one motion and at one time on all of us, with little to no experience of the outside world. This is truly the existential crisis that I’m sure many of my fellow year 12s are feeling right now.

This is the anxiety of purpose – what is the point of living? Well in my opinion I think life itself has no purpose. There is no purpose of living – no defined meaning, no meaning that someone else can tell you or give to you. You must be able to take and make meaning for yourself. Purpose isn’t something you get given but is something you find and define for yourself. You are what you make in life. And, everyone’s purpose in life is different.

If your goal is to one day be the CEO of a major company, don’t let someone doubt your dream. If you want to be the first person to cure some form of cancer, set yourself that goal and go chase it. Your purpose should not be constrained by others judgements, nor your own.

But, what is your purpose? I know many people still do not know what they want to do in life – they want to do something profound, something that brings meaning and value to them, their family and society but they can’t put a finger on what that truly is.

So, let’s use an exercise that might help. If you have spare time, try this out. On a sheet of paper, in the centre, draw a mind map, with the title of your name. Then from there, start off with words, phrases and clauses that you think makes you unqiue, things that are central to your character. Are you funny? Do you like adventure and trying new things? Are you intellectual? Philosophical? A risk-taker? Or do you prefer stability? Family? Write down as many things as you can think of that make you, you. When you’ve got nothing left to put down. Stop. Read over the mind map a few times, then flip the page over and start a list with the title “My Purpose” – and start jotting down things you want to do in life, things you want to achieve, jobs and careers that you’ve always wanted to do. This can be things such as “I want to travel the world” or even “I want to settle down, with 3 kids” if you’re into that sorta thing. You can even start with “I have no purpose”. Now the point of the earlier mind map is for you to remember what makes you, you. Don’t flip the page back but remember some of the words that you wrote down, the most important ones will resonate with you. And use them as inspiration to help you think about what you want to do in life. Eventually as you fill out the list, and as you go down the page, you’ll write down something you’ve been longing to do and that will be one of the purposes you have in life.

What this exercise can truly show us is that our purpose isn’t given to us by someone else. Our purpose isn’t defined by what other people think of us, nor is it the same for everyone. Nor does your purpose have to be just one thing. You can have a multifaceted purpose, chase 2 dreams, chase 3 dreams or even more.

As we pass the half way mark and move towards the end of the year, most feel the pressure and need to make a decision now. That you need to, at this very moment in time, decide your purpose. In my opinion, I don’t think that’s necessary. I do not believe that every single person will have the true ability to find their purpose, not just yet. So do not stress if you are feeling that burden or that anxiety of purpose – we are all feeling it as well, and we are lucky being in Australia, there is a flexibility that’s here where we are able to truly chase our dreams without too much constraints.

What I do say though is this, do not stop searching for your purpose, you’ll find it eventually. You’ll eventually find your passion, your driver; your core of being that makes you, you.

If you have a burning question, or would like to featured in some way in the "Ask them from me" segment, email me at: cc3493@gmail.com. If you do not want to be featured in the "Ask them from me" featured post, please let me know in the email :)

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