Heads up! This discussion goes deep… quickly…
What is the purpose of life? Why are we here?
These are the abstract questions to which we all seek answers. It is the mystery which unites all people. Rich and poor, old and young, black or white, the question is urgent because the answer dictates how we should act; what should we do with our time, talents, and energy?
One common response is along the lines of “helping others” or “making the world a better place.” Giving feels good. When I think about the most noble, admirable members of my community, the first people who come to mind are those who put others’ needs above their own. One of my friends in college, Roland, would drop his pre-med studying (even though he had another 12 hours to do before he slept again) to help me edit an essay at a moment’s notice. The most influential mentors in my life will gladly spend their precious time, no matter how busy they are, to talk me through a challenge, or inspire me to think differently. In my professional experience, the most effective leaders share a few common traits: humility, compassion, and selflessness.
Other typical responses include: discover what you love to do, and do it. Plan for a comfortable retirement. Find spiritual peace. Be happy. Build a better life for your future generations. Travel the world. Buys nice cars, clothes, and jewelry. Live a life of pleasure. All of these are legitimate answers, and it’s not my job to judge another’s’ motivations. My only question: Is what you are doing fulfilling your aspirations according to your goals and values?
The truth is, the answer isn’t the same for everyone. Some people have been blessed with exceptional talent that others will never possess. Maybe the key is to do the best with what we are given. A professional athlete who uses his or her status as a platform to create impetus for positive change might be maximizing their potential while the Buddhist Monk quietly meditates, teaching the next generation of monks spiritual traditions which have been passed down for centuries. There is no level playing field. Bill Gates’ kids have a different standard for what “success” in life looks like than a first-generation Haitian immigrant. Achieving “success” in life differs significantly depending on the circumstances, relationships, and opportunities that are presented. It’s not about the hand you’re dealt, but how you play your cards.
Others point to hard science, the fact that we are nothing more than a series of mutations evolving from bacteria and fungus. Earth doesn’t need us to continue surviving, that’s for sure. From this perspective, at the end of the day, nothing matters. Recently I met someone who firmly held this belief. I asked him, “What gets you out of bed in the morning?” To me, without purpose there is no reason to do anything. His response left me unsatisfied. He said, “You need to make your own purpose.” Hm… Okay, so two things about that. First, he essentially contradicted his own argument by implying that purpose in life is necessary (although he was adamant that life has no purpose). Second, (I know it is a small distinction, but) purpose is something you find, not create. When you find it, you know, but if you try to build your own, it won’t last.
So what is the purpose for our existence? The jury is still out, and I don’t foresee the universal answer coming soon.
Now, let me propose one possible reason as to why we are here. No matter who you are, where you are from, and what your response is to the cliché question posed to begin this blog, one single aspiration should be universal: Improve yourself. If you have already established goals, formulated a plan of action, and begun your journey, then improving yourself is a given; a better you will achieve your goals and fulfill your ambitions more effectively. Conversely, if your answer is still “to be determined,” then improving yourself will prepare you for when that time comes.
When I began college I consciously set a goal to start lifting weights. At the time, I didn’t have a practical purpose for being strong. I wasn’t going to be a body builder, and I didn’t play sports competitively. In hindsight, what I was really searching for was a purpose. Strength training provided that purpose, and copious endorphins to go along with it. It wasn’t until months or years later that I realized lifting weights translated into an ability to push myself in other ways. I learned that will power is a muscle. It can be trained. It can grow. It can get worn out. Some people have stronger will power than others. Some people crumple under pressure while others thrive.
My Sophomore year I set out to establish a University Club. I wanted to explore my passion for health and fitness while developing leadership skills. Two years later, my efforts paid off: HFCND, The Health and Fitness Club of Notre Dame. My initial goal was to call it a success if one single student improved his or her physiological health. It wasn’t easy. Meetings, proposals, fundraisers, events, scheduling… At times, I questioned why I spent so much time trying to keep the club afloat. But then something happened which I will never forget. After a club meeting, a student approached me to say he had cut excessive sugar out of his diet, and noticed higher energy levels and improved cognitive performance. During that moment, it all clicked. I cannot describe the feeling of fulfillment when I realized that my(and my fellow officers’) efforts had a produced tangible results. By the end of the year, the club had grown from a mere 12 to more than 200 members. Without the prerequisite experience in the gym, hours of perusing the internet, and acquired interest in health and nutrition, it wouldn’t have been possible.
Everyone is different, and our goals should reflect that. Lifting weights is just one way to improve yourself. Building empathy, compassion, and understanding is another. George Washington Carver offers a perspective which necessitates personal improvement:
“How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and strong, because some day in your life, you will have been all three of these.”
Call to action: Improve Yourself. Don’t worry about shooting for the moon, just make incremental changes. Without taking the first step onto the trail you will never summit the mountain.
Kyle Huber 