Maybe purpose in life is about just playing our music for whoever cares to listen
Earlier this summer, Jim and I enjoyed a community band concert at a park in Door County, WI. Approximately 70 members of the Waunakee Community band performed. From my vantage point on the hill, the band appeared to be composed of mostly older folks wearing their purple polo shirts and khakis. There were about 35 of us in the audience, at least half of whom seemed to be family/friends who had traveled a couple of hours with their band members.
We really enjoyed the music on a wonderful summer day but I had to ask myself: Why do these band members bother? I mean, they have to practice and then drive some distance to perform to, frankly, hardly anyone. In the end, I figure that they go to the effort because they love making music together and are motivated by the prospect of blessing someone doing what they love. Whether it’s one person or 30 or 100.
I think there’s a truth here about a lot of our purpose pursuits – certainly mine. That is, we invest in doing something because the doing simply gives us pleasure or satisfaction, with the hope that just maybe what gives us joy, blesses someone else. Even just one person. This is at the heart of what motivates me to do this website and hustle for subscribers and (unpaid) speaking gigs. I just like doing it.
Discerning what enterprises align with your sense of purpose starts with identifying what tickles your fancy or simply calls you in some way. Set aside the pros/cons list for a while (or forever!) and go a little deeper. Research confirms that we experience our lives as having purpose when we engage in service and I’m all about that (Research Brief). But I love author and civil rights leader Howard Thurman’s take on this: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is more people who have come alive." Maybe Service is part of the second discernment question and Joy is the first.
What about you? Is there something you’d like to try or invest in simply because you think the doing might fill you up in some way? How might to take a step towards that today?
Onward!