Purpose of Life

Finding your purpose of life

To many people, the purpose of life is very clear. It has been laid out clearly either by their parents, teachers or religious leaders. For others, it is much harder to work out. In fact, many philosophers have argued for centuries about what the true purpose of life is. There is a distinction between what the purpose of any life is and what it means to an individual, of course. Some people believe they have found a purpose in their life if, for example, they do a job that they find fulfilling. To others, the purpose of all human life is to work towards a higher purpose that is bigger than any individual. Broadly speaking, the latter is a spiritual interpretation of a life's purpose.

 People who do not have a purpose in their life – whether they are spiritually religious or otherwise - can struggle. Although some people are perfectly happy with the idea that there is no purpose in life, this leaves many individuals with a sense of loss or emptiness that needs to be fulfilled. Of course, the way that it is fulfilled can represent an entire lifetime's challenge. Some discover their purpose reasonably quickly while others explore many avenues without coming up with an answer that they feel truly satisfied with. Suffice to say that large numbers of people feel that purpose in life is fundamental to their sense of themselves.

In the Abrahamic religions, the purpose of life is often interpreted in similar ways. Generally speaking, it is to live a good life which will mean that you will be able to ascend to heaven at the end of your life. Conversely, bad lives are punished by eternal damnation. Of course, how religions interpret what is good and bad differs from sect to sect. In Hinduism, good lives lead to a superior form of reincarnation – in most cases – whereas the soul passes to an inferior form of life if a bad life has been led. In Confucianism, the purpose of life is usually bound up with education and being virtuous.

Some of the early Buddhist scriptures point out that there is no meaning or purpose in life as such. Rather, they teach that there is the potential within all people to end suffering, usually by turning away from materialism in some way. By attaining spiritual perfection, it would be possible to gain the state of Nirvana, which essentially means being free of reincarnation and worldly suffering.

Many people take an entirely secular view of the purpose of their life. Vast numbers of interpretations exist, but they include a lifetime of development, both biological and intellectual. Other interpretations relate to being honest with oneself or pursuing one's dreams and aspirations.