The purposes are the beacons on our vital horizon . They rise like that light that illuminates each step, reminding us where we want to go, inspiring us in each morning and giving us the motivation we need so much in days of discouragement.
Now, why is it so decisive that the human being has purposes? Having them is a decisive ingredient for mental well-being. Thanks to them we find meaning to what we are, to what we expect from ourselves … Because whoever longs or dreams something finds the necessary will to get up, to put one foot in front of another and move forward with energy, desire and hope.
After all, this is what Victor Frankl taught us in his famous book The Man in Search of Meaning . He himself was able to survive in the concentration camps despite having lost all the people he loved. In the midst of this adversity, the fact of continuing to maintain very specific values and vital goals allowed him to inspire and help others.
The purposes grant us harmony and psychological strength. Defining them, giving them light and placing them in our minds on a daily basis will be of great help. Let’s see how to create them, how to look for them and internalize them.
The purposes, how to clarify them?
It seems obvious … how can anyone know what their purposes are? As striking as it may seem, there are many people who do not have them. In this way, there are those who describe their life as a mere succession of days where they only send the obligations, where one falls into the routine and simply gets carried away .
What is perceived almost constantly in the midst of this existential context is that “the gaps weigh heavily because there is something that fails, something that is absent.” In these circumstances and, as the poet said, scientist Goethe, a life without purposes is perceived almost as a premature death .
On the other hand, when this happens, when a person perceives that he does not find the meaning or purpose of his life, it is very easy to fall into a depression or an anxiety disorder . In fact, something that is often seen in psychological therapy is that many patients feel this way right after losing their job or having broken their emotional relationship .
When we face changes or transitions it is necessary to reformulate the vital purposes . Thanks to them, we get a lifesaver to continue sailing, as well as that internal energy to awaken new motivations and hopes. Therefore, let’s see how to clarify them, how to empower them.
The power of purpose goes hand in hand with our values
Purposes are not simple arbitrary goals that one sets. They are not causal or capricious goals but are fully rooted in our values. Thus, those who value independence, freedom, adventure, the gift of experiencing new things, may not have the same purposes as those who value family, stability or roots.
Therefore, the first thing we should do is clarify what our values are and for that it is not necessary to remember what they are and what they imply:
- A value defines our identity , both social and personal.
- They refer to qualities that generally have to do with us .
- They are associated with norms, behaviors, a moral system and also our beliefs.
- It is also necessary to remember that our values can change . In fact it is normal for them to do it (it is not the same to be 15, as 3rd or 60 years old, the values also vary and go in harmony with our needs and experiences).
Break the routine, search, explore and connect with what makes you feel good
The purposes are not always found in our comfort zone . Routine is sometimes our worst enemy when creating a meaningful life and therefore, we must dare to go a little further, to do new things that are in harmony with our passions.
- If we like art, sports or any other dimension, let’s meet people with similar tastes. Connecting with other minds opens doors and helps us clarify new goals and purposes.
- It is also interesting to go beyond what we know or take for granted that we like. Sometimes, simply becoming “experience explorers” allows us to discover things we knew. Realities that wake us up and give us new purposes.