“To grow and to give, for life” is how we frame the core purpose. For each of us, in one way or another, expressing our purpose is to be found through growing and giving to life, for life. Living purposefully is a life skill. It is a way of living in which we are here for the sake of others. Every situation presents us with a new purpose moment—an opportunity to serve others on purpose. In other words, living purposefully means becoming aware of who we are and the choices we are bringing to life each day.
A good place to start living on purpose is to ponder the purpose question, What is the purpose of purpose? For many of us, this question is as tough as it is inevitable. Ideally we should not let too many years pass without spending some time pondering the question. So, as a way to summarize what we’ve explored together in this book, we offer this incomplete manifesto in response to the ongoing question, What’s the purpose of purpose? The manifesto remains incomplete as there will always be ideas and perspectives that can build and improve upon it. We invite you to do so.
Everything that exists has a purpose. We were born for a reason. We believe that a loving Creator created us and all beings to fulfill specific purposes in a mysterious world. Our purpose in life might be revealed by our Creator . . . or maybe not; that task might be up to each of us.
Purposeful living is not a luxury for the affluent; it’s for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status. All humans across all countries and incomes share a universal force for goodness: the desire to help others.
Science can now explain that purpose is fundamental to health, healing, happiness, and longevity. Our default purpose to “grow and give, to live”—through compassionate service to others—is good for individual well-being and for societal harmony.
Compassion is the soul of purpose. Compassion is the main lesson that we are here to learn. Compassion alone is the greatest of all the gifts we have to offer. The opposite of purpose is narcissism—excessive interest in oneself. Self-transcendence is the essence of human existence.
Our gifts are the keys to unlocking purpose. Each one of us is born with unique gifts that we were put on this Earth to offer others. What we love to do best reveals our gifts to us. Combining our gifts with our passions and values reveals to us purpose.
Unlocking our purpose is rarely a simple revelation; it is an insight created by life experiences over time. Purpose can be unlocked at any age or phase of life by major transitions and crises but also through intentional reflection and choice. Purpose reveals itself when we stop being afraid and start being ourselves.
Purpose is a verb; it is an active, aspirational aim. The power in purpose is activated when we wake up in the morning with our purpose foremost in our minds and when we go to bed at night knowing that we worked toward it.
Purpose is a choice and the answer to the question Why? We are who we choose to be, so we should be very sure about that choice and why we make it. The essence of our humanity is the freedom to choose our attitude in response to any set of circumstances. A clear sense of purpose enables us to do so.
To embrace purpose is to embrace an essential paradox of living. Purpose and relationships are the chief prerequisites for a meaningful life. The paradox is that purpose must come from the inside but must be manifested on the outside. Purpose is always about making a difference in the lives of others.
Meaning matters! The most fundamental human need is to find and fulfill meaning in our lives; the ultimate purpose in life is to die having lived a meaningful life. The way to do so is to choose to act on the purpose moments every single day. Life never ceases to offer us opportunities for meaning and purpose, from our very first breath to our last.