Let me start with a question: does your life have a purpose? Or rather, do you feel your life is better with a purpose?
I sometimes meet people feeling becalmed because they have lost a sense of purpose; and it feels like a crisis. Perhaps they had one once but have lost it now.
Or perhaps they’ve never had one but envy those who do.
‘It would be so good to have a sense of purpose.’
The book ‘The Purpose-driven Life’ by a pastor called Rick Warren was a definite best-seller and probably remains so. It hits a nerve, it strikes a chord. It sets out to give purpose to people’s lives, which must have feel like good news to many.
‘It would be so good to have a sense of purpose. And here’s a book which gives me one!’
My own sense is that purpose is overrated; perhaps even a little needy. The idea of purpose was invented by the insecure to make them feel better about themselves.
‘I have a cause, I’m doing something! I have purpose!’ It doesn’t matter too much what my purpose is. It’s just that whatever it is – promoting the RNLI, go-kart racing, animal wellbeing, God, the political right/left, judicial reform, the oil industry, the girl guides – it makes me feel better about myself. It gives me a cause.
A more interesting question than ‘What is my purpose?’ is ‘What is my intention?’ This question asks us something about our being rather than our doing.
Unlike purpose, intention is not concerned with outcomes. It is simply concerned with who we wish to be in our short span on this earth.
What five words about you would you like on your gravestone? These are words unconcerned with what you did or what you achieved. They will be about who you were; about what simple intention energised you each day.
Intentions are not about outcomes; and that is the difference. Instead, they are about who we are, the shape of our soul, which is the treasure.
As I say, I feel purpose is overrated – the refuge of those insecure in themselves, and in need of external validation: ‘I do this!’
It invites us to join a tribe, which for many is a desperate need.
Intention is more about who we are. It is not about outcomes, for we have no control over those; and the desire for them constricts us. Neither is it about a tribe. We are not fighting for anything; we are simply being something.
Beyond the insecure ego – or rather, before it – what is your intention?
It may be an inner struggle to find it, and cause some disturbance…
but the search will be worth it.
