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How did you find your purpose in life?

German Hops

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
This is something I’ve been struggling with I will admit. How does one find their purpose in life?

I guess I’m asking two questions: For any of you, that feel content with your life & that you have reached your purpose in this world, how did you find it to begin with? What signs did you receive? I need help finding my purpose. I don’t even have an actual “career”. I just feel stuck sometimes about what I was brought on this earth to do exactly. People always ask me well what are your hobbies? I don’t really have any tbh and it makes me so sad.
 

TwiztidElf

Member
still haven't at 50

Modern school and modern media have a lot to answer for making kids feel like they're 'special' and have a 'purpose'. The vast majority of us are just going to float through life. Is being happy, having good health, a good family&social life and a mediocre career not enough? Make the most of the cards you're dealt and find happiness.

Hobbies are definitely key. If you're not happy when you're not at work, you're doing it wrong. My problem is I spread myself way too thin. Video games and distance/trail running gobbling up most of my non work/social time. Behind that, I wish I had more time to: fuck around with my car, play drums more, tool around with video editing and youtube, and learn Japanese.
 
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Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
I guess the meaning of life lies in reproduction but outside of that, and even without it, you can live with purpose and satisfaction.

Try to help humans whenever you can! Be it with a nice gesture, an advice, a donation (GAF gold included :messenger_beaming:) or just to be friendly. If you want to push this further then do some volunteer work in a hospital, retirement home or whatever. I did so for one year in a hospital and it helped me to shape my character and appreciation for life. It still does!

Find a hobby! Seriously! From learning an instrument over doing sports to some random stuff. The possibilities are endless and it will help you to get your head clear and focus on other things while teaching you more about yourself.

Travel! Meeting and talking to other people can have a great impact on you to the point where it completely shifts your perception of life.

Just some thoughts. I have not time to write more but i might come back. :messenger_grinning:
 

Marvel14

Banned
This is something I’ve been struggling with I will admit. How does one find their purpose in life?

I guess I’m asking two questions: For any of you, that feel content with your life & that you have reached your purpose in this world, how did you find it to begin with? What signs did you receive? I need help finding my purpose. I don’t even have an actual “career”. I just feel stuck sometimes about what I was brought on this earth to do exactly. People always ask me well what are your hobbies? I don’t really have any tbh and it makes me so sad.
Ask yourself "what makes me happy?" And explore all the dimensions of how you answer the question. Then plot a path to integrate some or all of those dimensions into your life.

Rinse and repeat whenever your happiness feels like it is ebbing away...
 
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German Hops

GAF's Nicest Lunch Thief
I guess the meaning of life lies in reproduction but outside of that, and even without it, you can live with purpose and satisfaction.

Try to help humans whenever you can! Be it with a nice gesture, an advice, a donation (GAF gold included :messenger_beaming:) or just to be friendly. If you want to push this further then do some volunteer work in a hospital, retirement home or whatever. I did so for one year in a hospital and it helped me to shape my character and appreciation for life. It still does!

Find a hobby! Seriously! From learning an instrument over doing sports to some random stuff. The possibilities are endless and it will help you to get your head clear and focus on other things while teaching you more about yourself.

Travel! Meeting and talking to other people can have a great impact on you to the point where it completely shifts your perception of life.

Just some thoughts. I have not time to write more but i might come back. :messenger_grinning:
I appreciate your thoughts Con-Z-epT Con-Z-epT and thank you for gilding this thread! :messenger_heart:
 
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poodaddy

Gold Member
When I first looked into my daughter's eyes I understood my reason for existing was to bring her safely into this world and raise her to be healthy, happy, and secure. Before that, I regularly wrestled suicidal thoughts and alcoholism. I still struggle with depression every once in a while I suppose, some days are great and some aren't so great, and sometimes I still feel like every one I've ever met would be better off if I ate a bullet for brunch, but then I think about my daughter. She's my best friend, and I love seeing her every day, hearing about how her saxophone playing is progressing, how her comics are coming along, seeing all her paintings and comics, watching her build an incredibly awesome island in Animal Crossing. I mean, I'm completely content in life because of those things. I don't even have any friends anymore, but I feel purpose in being her father.

Not saying to run out and knock someone up lol. Just kind of sharing my two cents. For what it's worth, I do understand and empathize with what you're going through, and if my daughter was never born I'd be right there with you man.
 

AJUMP23

Member
I think there are multiple levels to finding meaning.

On the highest level it is faith or belief. What do you believe because what you believe in will shape many of your decisions and actions. For me a faith in Jesus matters and it motivates me and fulfills me on many levels.

In another level is what are your goals. Set some down and then figure out how to achieve them.
Family - DO you want one, what are you willing to accomplish or sacrifice to make it happen.
Travel - Does that matter to you, would you find satisfaction in doing it. Save and

I find satisfaction in many areas. Work is not one, work is for a means to an end. I work so i can do the things I want with my family.

Start small with something you want to accomplish, then accomplish it.
 

Jaybe

Member
I don’t have an answer but this is the ad that was served up

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People have been wracking their brains over that question since the dawn of mankind Hops. Countless ink has been spilt and discussions had, but all of that is irrelevant. It's up to you to decide what that purpose is. I know that sounds like a movie line, but it's the absolute truth.

We're all told at some point in time that we can no longer play the children's game, we just don't when that's going to be. Some of us are told at eighteen, some of us are told at forty, but we're all told. That is an actual movie line.
 

Davesky

Member
Write down and set goals for yourself every month and make it a matter of willpower to make sure that each month is better in some way than the last one. This builds momentum and eventually you will start being able to clearly visualise and achieve things you never thought were possible for you before.

After a while, around two or three years of constant and exponential progress, the answer will begin to become clear to you as you will be able to look back at all the goals you were making for yourself and see what you were unconsciously striving towards.
 

SteadyEvo

Member
Beyond being with a woman that TRULY loves and accepts me I see no point to any of this. And don’t recall asking to be born, making matters even worse. I just try to keep my mind occupied playing games, eating healthy and waking trails. From time to time I’ll lift or jog but that’s rare. Walking is my primary form of exercise. I won’t lie. Life can feel pointless and lonely. The only thing keeping me from suicide is stories of those who tried, died momentarily and came back to tell the story. And they all say suicide is a mistake. Not taking any chances being sent back to Earth for a do over. This is my last trip so I’ll roll with the punches best I can and await my time.

Goodluck to all that are struggling and congrats to those who enjoy life
 

Valedix

Gold Member
I find being grateful for being born in one of the best countries in the world (Australia) helps keeps me motivated, as well as looking forward to new movies/video games and getting take out comfort food is all I need to help keep me going. And not to mention I was born into a loving family, obviously I can't speak for everyone but its how I go on.
 

bitbydeath

Member
First, understand and accept where you are in life. There are people worse off than you. Outlook is everything, be real, be positive, be zen.

Second, understand others and how they react, they’re all going through life as you are. Accept everyone has flaws and makes mistakes. Knowing everyone has insecurities means you can project yourself above them.

Third, you can do anything, it’s a mindset. Find what you enjoy and plan how to get there in actual realistic steps. Confidence is everything, to gain confidence you need to overcome step 1.
 

Trogdor1123

Member
It’s a good question. I thought the reason god put me here was to protect my wife and kids but that’s the role of every man, not specific to me so I kind of put that aside as just part the whole package, not my role but the role of all dudes. As for something that is specific to me? I really don’t know…
 

hollams

Gold Member
I believe volunteering is probably the best way to find meaning. If you can volunteer at a nursing/retirement home where you will get to meet and talk to people that have lifetimes of stories to tell and they will be happy to have someone to talk to. You will learn their achievements and regrets and from that information it will also give you additional goals or things to look out for in your own life.
 

Bragr

Banned
Purpose is one of those things that nobody can tell you about or explain to you, you have to figure it out yourself on your own terms.

My greatest advice would be to read books, the greatest knowledge we have, about life and living, is all contained in them. The most profound stories, stories that you learn from, are contained in books.

Read One Hundred Years of Solitude, read Stoner, read The Brothers Karamazov, read The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck. You will absolutely learn about life.

But most people don't REALLY want to figure things out, they just think so, so when it comes down to reading or whatever it is you need to do, they never do it. I'm not sure if you are one of these people, you have to figure it out for yourself.
 
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TwiztidElf

Member
Just got back in from a trail run. You get a lot of time to think while out in the forest.
Kept thinking about this thread for some reason.
And strangely TISM lyrics kept coming to me. - Particularly off Att Shock Records Faulty Pressing.

Not really sure, it's a tenuous link. lol
But when in doubt, turn to TISM for guidance. :D





 

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
I'm just trying to be happy, surrounding myself with the people I care about the most and casting aside anything that makes me unhappy.

Living like that helped me find some hobbies along the way, like playing guitar, painting figurines, reading books/manga or developing videogames, but the important thing imo is trying to be happy about who you are.

My epiphany of what I should do with mynlife came when I was about to bail out of college, 6AM high as fuck and playing Valkyrie Profile on a PSX emulator. You never know what life has next in store for you.
 

Kamina

Golden Boy
I always wonder why people require some sort of understanding of their own purpose in life.
I simply am, and my existence is it’s own purpose.
 

Fools idol

Banned
I'm in my mid 30's and have lived a very varied life. I have been;

- Homeless
- Severely addicted to class A drugs
- Severely addicted to alchahol
- Started my own software company and sold it for millions
- Started a second company with life long friend
- Became a father
- Did the famous 'Ayahuasca detox' in Peru (basically an extreme psychoactive drug taking experience that changes my mind forever. But also cost me a dear friend.

with that out of the way having experienced most of life's extremes except maybe war or whatever, I can safely say for me at least that my purpose in life is my child never having to experience the lows that I have, by being the best father I can. Along that road I plan to just enjoy my time gaming, tinkering with my car collection and trying to stay healthy not to get some horrible disease.

Note that no one on here can tell you what your 'purpose' is as it is unique for each of us. I will say that it will be hard to find until you lose all of your creature comforts and have to work to get them back through hell and back with no one to help you.
 
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Life has no purpose other than passing on evolutionary traits to better help a species survive. Any other reason is just a form of brainwashing
 

Mihos

Gold Member
I was born an engineer. I go to work an engineer and I unwind at night an engineer. My retirement goals include engineering projects with no deadlines. I know I am the lucky one whose passion matches their talents, but sometimes it's the simple things
 

FeralEcho

Member
I haven't found it,not looking for it and never been happier.The less you think about it the less it's gonna bother you.
 

RAÏSanÏa

Member
pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.

Discovering greater purpose in terms of consciousness and reincarnation required natural inclination, intent, and previous work in other lives to get a real sense of personal and general context. The vast majority of lives on this planet that I have some memory of over the last few thousand years would in themselves appear purposeless, but there was always a direction to the lives after investigation.

In this life, the riddle of Legis II:76 and an inclination to investigate it without preconception, in alignment with pure will, provided directions to Mnemosyne. Is it my purpose to expound that solution? Maybe, maybe not, but my thought is to wait until the next life to do so if so. Partly for confirmation, partly to keep it out of possibly unworthy hands, mostly for certainty about formulas before dispensing immortality beyond the fam. Although, I led a cohort of new initiates astrally a few years ago based on the solution that could be followed by the intrepid. It took a few months, it was exciting, especially at the lunar eclipse when I was on this side of the portal and they were coming through. The akasha still shows the trail. Ptolemaic individuals following and sneaking through quickly shouldn't be at exceptional risk.
 

Ellery

Member
A lot of people feel this way. Especially from later generations (millenials - the lost generation. Generation Y (why?) ).

If anything the only real purpose you have is to continue or create life. Your flesh is designed to do that. Your brain tricks you too much and having too much time to think makes it worse.

Struggling with the unlimited amount of choice. We genuinely are born in a good age. We have so many possibilities. Especially most of us here on this forum from western countries living good lives.

Trick is to try out new things, occupy yourself, don't overthink too much reality is different anyway and in most ways only a reflection of the interpretation of a billion opinions.


TL;DR : Do something. Don't think about it. Your brain is wrong anyway. Mine too.
 
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