“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”
Friedrich Nietzsche
This Week’s Topic:
There is a profound connection between having a purpose in life and achieving happiness, resilience and inner strength.
Key Takeaways:
- Purpose is fundamental to happiness and resilience. Having a “why” in life provides meaning, motivation, and the ability to cope with suffering and challenges.
- Life’s struggles and imperfections can build inner strength and self-esteem. Learning from mistakes, and overcoming obstacles are crucial for developing resilience and a genuine sense of self-worth.
- Personal reinvention and a clear sense of purpose are ongoing processes. Defining one’s purpose is an evolving journey that can lead to happiness and motivation at any stage of life.
Without Purpose, There Is Emptiness.
I’ve always admired those who knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives early on – their profession, where to live, who to marry, how many children to have. I was never that clear.
As a teenager, I had an idea of a few things I would like to do with my life. Marriage, a white dress, becoming a mother-these weren’t priorities and didn’t spend time thinking about it.
However, I knew I wanted to get ahead in life and break free from my family patterns. This was my motivation. Yet, motivation without clear goals isn’t enough, and I stumbled for years trying to find my way.
This became even harder when I became pregnant at 21, still in college and without money.
My husband and I, both carrying childhood baggage, started our life together with little to show for it. The thing in our favor was our shared, firm commitment to not let our challenging circumstances define us. We knew we wanted to be successful, and believed we would achieve it. It was a struggle for sure, and both of us made many, many mistakes. But I believe life rewards those with good intentions in their hearts, those who learn from their mistakes, work hard, and do not mean to hurt others (though some were hurt and guilt is real).
Life can be incredibly complicated, and navigating it with limited guidance and heavy burdens is tough. But it’s not impossible. I truly believe we discover our inner strength by facing life’s many challenges, and we develop a thick skin and a high self-esteem. Not because someone tells us we are strong, resilient, decisive, or brave, but because we’ve witnessed ourselves manifest these qualities time and again, going throughout our lives.
Viktor Frankl on Meaning and Survival
Viktor Frankl, the famous psychiatrist, neurologist, and Holocaust survivor, observed that a sense of meaning allowed people to survive concentration camps during World War II. He said, ‘The striving to find a meaning in one’s life is the primary motivational force in a man.’
Frankl emphasized that the primary human motivation is the search for meaning and that purpose in life is unique to each individual and evolves throughout life. Purpose not only makes us happy, it makes us resilient: “Once an individual’s search for a meaning is successful, it not only renders him happy but also gives him the capability to cope with suffering.”
Life Evolves, So Why Would Our Purpose Stay Still?
When I turned 25 I felt old (I really did, though I laugh about it now). I felt so off track, with a baby and without having finished college yet. My life wasn’t following the path it was supposed to, and I felt like a failure.
In the following 25 years, I’ve accomplished so much (it’s taking me many hours of therapy to be able to say this phrase). I have reinvented myself repeatedly. I had an exciting professional life for years, then I was fortunate enough to focus on raising my children and taking care of my home. But for years, something inside me has been telling me that I wanted to do more, I needed to do more. So here I am, reinventing myself once again, ready for the next chapter of my life. I know what I want and I am confident I’ll achieve it. For me, that is happiness.
I have a purpose, and it’s what motivates me every day; it’s my call to action.
What is your purpose in life today? What do your heart and mind truly desire, and how will you achieve it?
I believe in you.
See you next week.
With love,
Silvia
Would you like to share this newsletter with someone who is important to you? Copy and paste the following link: https://thelifetimelearners.com/
Leave a comment