The everyday impact of articulating your life purpose.

It isn’t normal to know what we want. It is a rare and difficult psychological achievement. ~ Abraham [View online]( [Coach Tony]( Coach Tony [@tonystubblebine]( It isn’t normal to know what we want. It is a rare and difficult psychological achievement. ~ Abraham Harold Maslow - - - - - #1. Where does purpose come from? I’ve been working on the topic of purpose and came across this quote ([which I’ve shared before](): Human life has no cosmic, unambiguous purpose: we have the opportunity and responsibility to find and make that choice on our own, between ourselves. However, meaning and choice are constrained by our physical and social environment. The skills we learn and the communities of practice we inhabit shape the possible sources of meaning available to us. [1] That quote represents my experience of finding purpose. I wasn’t born with one and I didn’t grow up in a community with one, i.e. religion. I had to search and listen to what felt right. The reason it’s worth saying purpose is something you are responsible for figuring out, is that so many people waste so much time looking for it to be handed to them. [1] [David Howell’s Codex](. - - - - - #2. To strengthen purpose, strengthen your relationships. Most purposes involve and serve other people, so having meaningful relationships makes your purpose feel more real. But what about the role of religion? Our research here shows that having a belief system that ‘substitutes’ for some of the functions of human relationships, like feeling valued and supported by God, may allow people who feel disconnected to restore some of this purpose that social relationships would normally provide. This compensation may benefit people who are disconnected over time. Interestingly, being religious when you are already socially connected confers minimal additional benefit for people’s sense of purpose in life. [2] Of course, religion might be the source of many of your social connections. But I read this research as some measure of proof of the power of social connections, beyond even the belief in a higher power. [2] [Religion can provide a sense of increased purpose in life for people who are socially disconnected](. - - - - - #3. What is the value of a life purpose? Sometimes it can look like having a life purpose is a bit of a brag. If you have one, does that mean you are better than someone without purpose? Hopefully, you know that’s not my angle. I like having an articulated life purpose for two reasons. One, when I’m working within my purpose, it gives me a motivating feeling of “this is worthwhile.” Then, two, it simplifies a lot of decisions in my life. I’ve articulated and re-articulated my purpose many times, usually focused on my career. The current one is very simple and has stuck because it’s so useful in guiding my day-to-day: love, curiosity, flow, impact. If that looks cryptic, it’s because I mean for it to be personal. It’s not a brag, it’s a tool. If you have an articulated life purpose, I’d love to hear about it and how you use it in day-to-day life. - - - - - Reader Response: Good vs. Competent. Andrew Zimmermann wrote in about this Heinlein quote below, “Heinlein didn’t say you had to be GOOD at doing all of those things, just that you should be able to…” I filed this comment under social comparison. Often when we are thinking about good or bad or great, we are competing with how we perceive other people. But many of our goals should be utilitarian: are we competent enough to get the job done. A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. ~ Robert A. Heinlein - - - - - Tips or feedback? [Send me a response on Twitter.]( Don’t miss out on the other issues by Coach Tony [Become a member for $5 per month]( Did you enjoy this issue? [Yes]( [No]( [Coach Tony]( Coach Tony [@tonystubblebine]( Tips, inspirations, and knowledge on productivity, happiness, health, and making an impact on our world. Official email of the Better Humans publication on Medium. (@bttrhumans) You can manage your subscription [here](. In order to unsubscribe, click [here](. If you were forwarded this newsletter and you like it, you can subscribe [here](. Created with [Revue by Twitter](.