Whatever . . . is Never an Answer
Knowing Your Purpose in Life
by
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Life. A word that necessitates more pondering than a lifetime can provide the time to do so. It’s a word that has endless options and directions. It’s a word that drives us beyond what we believe could happen and yet a word that can pound us into the dust from which we came. It’s in the journey of life when people find success, failure, fulfillment, disappointment, moments they love and moments they hope never happen again. Life brings trials, tragedies and turmoil along with hurts, pains and sorrows. Life is a word which encompasses such countless meanings and thoughts which if a survey asked a thousand people of different age groups about life’s meaning, volumes of books with different answers would be written.
At the center of life lies the question which drives the very essence of our life which has challenged man-kind from the beginning of time to the present day. It doesn’t take many conversations with people to discern that all of us search in life for something bigger than ourselves. But why is it what the masses seek, they can not seem to find? People are looking to all kinds of things for fulfillment and joy in life but the very things we yearn for seem to evade us on a consistent basis. For many people on this globe which we call earth, because this has created uncertainty in our everyday life, it also brings frustration and disappointment.
So what is the question which lies at the center of our life? The question which eludes the masses from the least to the greatest? What is the question which without an answer has brought countless people to the point that they even take their own life? What is the question which people walk the streets each day trying to find the answer? The question every one of us want an answer is, “What is my purpose in life?” Is fulfillment the result of knowing our purpose in life? Or does purpose provide the experience of fulfillment? If fulfillment is the result of knowing our purpose, what is it about purpose that fulfills our life?
There is an answer to the question to which every individual can know their purpose in life and experience fulfillment along their journey of life in a way they could never imagine. But our journey may take longer than desired due to the distractions and voices constantly battling for our attention. And when the search goes longer than we have patience, people will settle for whatever and this is why, Whatever . . . is NEVER an answer.
As we search out the answer to our question, let’s begin with the definition of ‘purpose’ which will provide us with a distinctive foundation on which to build. Purpose is defined as: the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists. The definition of purpose doesn’t answer our question, but it does give us a key word within the definition that establishes a foundation on which to begin and the key word is REASON. The definition of purpose informs us there’s a REASON behind the life in which we have and are to live. There’s a REASON for each breath we take and a REASON for each day we live. This tells us there is a REASON why we are here on this planet that we call earth!
This book was written to challenge what we have been told regarding our purpose in life and to expose the deception and lies which are prevalent today which only bring confusion and despair to countless numbers of people. If our purpose in life is dependent upon others telling us what our purpose is, then our purpose becomes nothing short of a manmade opinion from a subjective standpoint. This never works out.
There was a game show which started in the 1960’s called Let’s Make a Deal. The host for the first 23 years of the show, the late Monty Hall, made all kinds of deals with individuals in the audience giving them an opportunity to win money and/or prizes. One method he used a lot in making his deals was giving individuals the choice of choosing what was behind one of three curtains. Behind these curtains were good prizes and not so good prizes but the individual was given the free choice to choose the curtain they desired. At times he would also give them another choice of a small box or a big box to choose from instead of a curtain. This would obviously make the decision even tougher. So the participant’s mind was now filled with great excitement and the hope of what they chose would bring them great joy, happiness and fulfillment.
In an article written by David Castelvecchi on April 15, 2011 entitled, Let’s Make a Deal: Revisiting the Monty Hall problem, he lays out the probability of winning on the show as it was presented.
A guest on the show has to choose among three doors, behind one of which is a prize. The guest states his choice, and the host opens one of the two remaining closed doors, always knowing that is not the ultimate door the guest seeks. Should the guest switch to the remaining closed door or hold onto the one they chose? Most people choose to stay with their original choice, which is wrong—switching would increase their chance of winning from 1/3 to 2/3. (There is a 1/3 chance that the guest's original pick was correct, and that does not change.) Even after playing the game many times, which would afford ample opportunity to observe that switching doubles the chances of winning, most people in a recent study switched only 2/3 of the time. Pigeons did better. After a few tries, the birds learn to switch every time.
And so it is in life. People go about choosing curtains and boxes and doors hoping great joy, happiness and fulfillment will be the outcome.
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About the Book
When you talk to people today it seems so many are wandering around in life seeking what gives them joy and happiness. Months previous to the discussion most love their jobs and this life. Not many months later, that same person is seeking another job due to unhappiness or not being fulfilled with their present job. The world has much to offer when it comes to providing momentary joy, happiness and fulfillment. But what about the long term? What is missing? Is life only capable of short bursts of joy and happiness or is there something else? This book will unveil the something else.
About the Author
I grew up in the home of a blue collar family. My brother and I were both adopted at birth, yet four months apart. We began life in a small home in Tulsa but moved to the country and started first grade at Owasso Schools. Our summer days were filled with fun and adventure and we never slowed down until we were told to come in at dark. We played baseball during the summer and basketball and football in the fall. We rode our bikes everyday and everywhere. When it came to swimming, the majority of our swimming took place at ponds close to the house because those were the swimming pool in the country.
My dad taught my brother and me hard work by example and to work for everything you get in life. Dad worked hard all his life and so working hard has never been an issue. My best friend and I hauled hay in the summer and cut and sold firewood in the winter for spending money because we had both bought cars in our sophomore years of high school and knew we were responsible for them. He and I did everything together. I loved growing up in the country and would not trade those days for anything.
After high school graduation I was fortunate enough to play on a basketball scholarship through college and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. With excitement I was now ready to face life head-on and fulfill my life’s purpose. And the first question that came to my mind as I pondered my first move was, what is my purpose in life? Parts of this book speak from my experience.