Everyone gets excited when they start down the path that leads to their lifetime dream. Defining your personal creed helps keep you from straying off that trail. That’s why the first step must always be to identify those core values and beliefs that reflect your moral compass. These mark your personal boundaries—the shoulders of the road on your way to success.
Even with your bounds delimited, the route can grow dark, especially when things don’t go exactly as planned. How do you combat this bothersome obstacle? The answer is as old as Aristotle himself.
Actually, it’s older.
These two words contain the secret to getting anything you want: “Know thyself”
These are among the words etched in stone at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. They became the driving force of Socrates, the greatest of all Greek philosophers. He imbued its lesson within the very soul of all his students, including the equally famous Plato. Plato, in turn, revealed these secrets to his student Aristotle.
You’ll get back to him in a moment.
But, first, consider what “know thyself” really means. At its heart, the phrase speaks to the fundamental reason for your existence. It represents your very purpose, the reason why you are right here, right now.
It is nothing less than the meaning of your life.
Your purpose grows out of your core values and beliefs. This is why you must first outline your personal creed before you can undertake the task of discovering the meaning of your life.
Your purpose is like a guiding star. It illuminates the journey you must take to attain your lifetime dream. Remember how setbacks can darken that path? Having a strong sense of purpose keeps the light on your path no matter what slings and arrow outrageous fortune decides to throw at you.
More than merely a guiding star, though, your purpose is also an unreachable star. You are always working towards it. Yet, you can never fully capture it. In this way, it serves as an inspirational and aspirational ideal for your entire life.
You’re probably now asking the obvious: How do I discover my purpose? How do I learn the meaning of my life?
It’s hard, but it’s easy. It’s easy, but it’s hard.
If you really want to “know yourself,” you absolutely must delve deep within your heart.
Socrates said “The unexamined life is not worth living.” He then demonstrated a method to examine your life. Only by removing all those layers covering up your inner core can you discover your true purpose—the meaning of your life.
Before you learn Socrates’ simple trick, you need to start at square one. For that, you are obliged to turn to Aristotle.
Aristotle believed one’s ultimate purpose is to “lead a good life.” But that’s too basic. After all, what is a “good” life?
Aye, there’s the rub.
First, the bad news. Each person has a uniquely and highly personalized definition of a “good” life.
Now, the good news. That means there’s no right or wrong answer. You can come up with your own definition, the one most suitable for you. Remember, it’s in you already. It’s been there all your life. It’s just a matter of extracting it out.
That’s where Socrates comes in. Socrates had an awful tendency to ask annoying questions… repeatedly. To find the meaning of your life, you need to emulate Socrates. Yes, it would be easier if you had a coach to role-play Socrates, but it’s not required. You can do it yourself.
Here’s how:
First, pull out a blank sheet of paper (or a blank document to type on). If you want to get the most out of this exercise, you’ll have to write down your answers (in order) to the questions that will be asked.
Start with your basic purpose: to live a good life.
Now, as concisely as possible, write down why you feel it’s important to live a good life.
Once you’ve written this statement down, read it over again. Then, write down your answer to this question: Why is this statement important?
Read this second statement again. Then write down your answer to this question: Why is this second statement important?
Read this third statement again. Then write down your answer to this question: Why is this third statement important?
Read this fourth statement again. Then write down your answer to this question: Why is this fourth statement important?
Read this fifth statement once more. Then, finally, write down your answer to this question: Why is this fifth statement important?
Now, take a look at all six of your statements. Do you notice any patterns? Do you notice any similarities? Did you circle back and repeat an answer?
Answers to these questions will reveal the meaning of your life. In particular, if you did circle back and repeat, the answer you wrote immediately before circling back is likely to be very close to your true meaning of life.
After this analysis is complete, summarize the answer in a final statement that begins: “My purpose is to…”
If it reads like (but not exactly like) an epitaph, then you’ve got it. Your purpose statement should explain how you would like to influence your family, friends and community. Likewise, it should reflect how you would like your family, friends and community to see and remember you.
Your purpose is the ideal towards which you will forever strive. It is the motivation that makes you want to be a better person than you were the day before. It is the open heart you proudly frame and place on your mantelpiece for all to see—your children, your family, your coworkers…
But that’s not all.
Once you know the meaning of your life, you’re going to want to do something with that knowledge.
Something big.
