It’s nuts what BULLSHIT your brain tells you to get you to act or think something. My latest thing is worrying about money when I’m 90 – assuming I even make it that far. I ran some errands earlier to restock on allergy medicine and on the way, I listened to Seth Godin’s guest appearance on the Tim Ferris podcast. As usual, Seth nails point after point about branding, business education and life.
Your brain is lying. It always does that
One of the things Seth talks a lot about is why – knowing your purpose and understanding what it is you are contributing to the world. Wow, I have struggled with that forever! What am I here for? What’s my mission? What am I contributing to this world or am I just taking up space? Part of the answer for me is my family, being a great dad, husband, and son but what is my greater good exactly?
One might think that my ~10 years in the non-profit world would have led to some sense of purpose. But I was either too disconnected, too asleep or too numb to notice and that time has passed. I didn’t find myself or my purpose inside a non-profit which is too bad because there is so much good work to be done.
So after the past 2 years transformation, meditation, tai-chi and reflection I’m once again thinking about this question of purpose. Now that I’ve woken the hell up a bit, what’s next?
What’s the right path in life?
Can I find fulfillment and joy in simply being present and alive and taking things as they come? I feel anxious about that because I have so many professional ambitions – most of it related to money I’m sure. And titles and power.
And yet thankfully, something inside me is telling me to slow down and that the idea of finding fulfillment and joy in being present is the right answer. My ambition has led to hell. For me, it’s been a road paved with pain and suffering – and more importantly, a road I’ve already been down multiple times. Maybe I’ll actually ignore my damn dirty lying brain, get out of my head and into my heart this time.
Maybe this time, I’ll try something different. Maybe this time, I’ll actually ignore my damn dirty lying brain, get out of my head and into my heart. Wouldn’t that be a change!
What about you – is your brain liar like mine?
Staying in the present does not mean being passive or not having goals. You can still take charge of your life and create your own reality, but the approach to do so is different. I’m also a bit worried sometimes that this could cause me to become so satisfied with my present that I lose my desires. But I don’t think how law of attraction works (at least its teachers claim so). I think Eckhart Tolle hinted that the universe has the ability to fulfill all your desires, but usually a person reaches a point of emotional reconciliation that he doesn’t feel like creating a lot, even if he has the power to do so. That sounds a little boring to me. I do want the stuff too, not just the “emotion”. It’s a very open question. For e.g. someone could have the desire to kill millions of people. Would the universe actually fulfill his desire? Or will it bring him to some point of emotional reconciliation and hand him a video game to simulate the experience?
One hundred percent agree – being present does not mean being passive or not having goals – you are so right!
Not sure I am tracking on your other point about someone having a desire to kill millions of people – I guess the principle of being present works both for good and evil if that’s what you are hinting at. The universe I don’t think is in the business of making good or bad value statements or judgment.
Thanks for the comment an stopping by the site!
“The universe I don’t think is in the business of making good or bad value statements or judgment.”
That felt so good to hear. I’m quite relieved.
I don’t know where you are at with regards to your rant, but I’d say, go easy on the subject of “purpose” for a while. Your negative emotion towards the subject currently is because you are constantly aware of the lack of it, and your surrounding reality is screaming inwards reminding you of it. Go general about the business of life purpose for some time. It is important to you and so must be obviously important to your inner being as well, so you will come around to it at a later point, when you have answers and insight.
Purpose is tricky indeed – and it pretty much at odds with living in the moment to a certain degree. I just finished reading Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind and have a new appreciation for mindfulness and how to think about the world. Trying to wrap my tiny brain around Big Mind, Small Mind has been a bit of a challenge. Working on it!