Don’t worry, this post isn’t going to be one of those light, airy fairy pieces that is meant to uplift you but instead makes you feel worse than a fly in a fly trap.

I’ve spent many years trying to figure out what my purpose in life is. So far I have eliminated, and this is by no means the complete list, being stupidly rich, famous, a vet, a doctor, a brain surgeon, Director of a company, beach bum, pilot, rock star, artist, athlete, movie star, professional dog walker, spy, super hero and car racer.
Like I said, it isn’t an exhaustive list and to be honest with you, I was never going to be a racing car driver.

Honestly though, is there really such a thing as a purpose in life? I mean, who came up with this idea in the first place? This is how I see it. From the moment we are born expectations are placed on us. Adoring parents dream of their kids becoming doctors, lawyers and football stars. We start school and immediately reports become apart of our lives. Little Johnny needs to focus more and he will succeed. Young Marie has loads of potential, she just needs to stop picking her nose. Pressure builds on us as we go from year to year. Then we graduate. Then we have to pick Colleges and courses. Before we have even experienced any part of life it seems that some of it has already been pre-determined by all those events from the past. But not all kids go to College. I didn’t and yet, I still feel that need to succeed at something. We are told from an early age and experience it first hand from family and friends that it’s all about being somebody. You rarely hear of people telling their kids to just enjoy school and see what happens. Most tell their kids to study hard and good things will happen. I’m not suggesting that you shouldn’t work hard, far from it. All I’m saying is that we are programmed from a really young age to succeed. The problem is that many of us achieve what we thought was success and then wonder what the big deal was. I know plenty of *successful* people who are miserable. I’ve read many stories of successful people giving it all up because it just didn’t make them happy.
I’m 36 years old and still haven’t figured it out. It’s very possible that I’m incredibly stupid but even still I think I’m on to something.

I have just about given up trying to figure out what my purpose in life is. So far all it’s done for me is make me feel pretty crap. Almost like I’m a failure.

So, I say no more! I’m giving up trying to find purpose in life. Here’s what I think. What if purpose is just a heap of things you want? Not material, but just things you want to experience or do in your life. What about if I start the ball rolling, here’s my list so far:

I want my family to be happy and healthy. I want to grow old and be as fit and well as I can be. I want to travel. I want to love my partner til we both get really wrinkled and die. I want to experience as much of life as I can, including the bad. I want to kayak down a river. I want to skydive. I want to stand on top of the tallest mountain that doesn’t involve too much effort, frost bite or oxygen tanks and wonder at the world before me. I want to see a lion, elephant, whale, dolphin, tiger, polar bear, gorilla, orangutan, bald eagle and many, many more. I want my parents to live a long life and not go until they are both really old. I want to see our world without the threat of climate change. I want my friends to be happy, healthy and find ever lasting love. I want my dog to live another 10 years. I want my parents to finish their RV and get on the road and see this big island of ours. I want my grandparents to stick around a little longer. I want Brad and Angelina to have more kids. I want people to stop cutting down trees and clearing land. I want to see Machu Picchu. I want to see my football team win a Premiership. I want to enjoy nature. I want to photograph until I can’t anymore.

I could go on but I won’t. I’m not going to get everything I want on this list. That’s life. It ain’t always fair or pretty or fun but it is what it is.

I may still dream about becoming a rock star though…..

I like having this list more than I do churning my insides trying to figure out what my purpose in life is.

Do you want to add your own list? Feel free to hit the comment button and add yours!


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