Finding Purpose & Direction ??
Tim Perreira
Walking across America for men’s mental health | Writer, speaker, & entrepreneur | Jiu-jitsu enthusiast
This is the last edition that I'll post on LinkedIn, so make sure you sign up to receive them to your inbox! Subscribe here to keep getting these newsletters.
--
Imagine you're headed out to hike one of Colorado's famous "14ers" (peaks of 14k+ feet of elevation).
You have your eyes set on the one you heard has the?best view from the top.
Not really sure where to start, you ask a fella in the parking lot for tips on the fastest way to get to the peak.
He pulls something out of his bag and says:
"Follow the main path until it ends, then use this compass to head straight west to get to the top of the mountain."
So you get started, hiking for hours like a man on a mission, determined to get to the top by nightfall.
As the path ends, and you remember the directions the man gave and even though you can see the peak straight ahead, you follow the compass and make a right turn to head west.
A few hours later, you get to the top of the peak, but?something feels off...
You look across the valley and see the peak of the 14er you thought you were climbing and realize you scaled the wrong one!
You've just spent hours climbing a mountain you've never been on, trusted a man with directions, and now find yourself somewhere you didn't want to go.
That's a pretty shitty feeling.
At least in this example, you become aware that you're on the wrong hill.
So what do you do in real life when you realize that the path you've been on isn't taking you to where you actually want to go?
You feel that you've already invested so much time that it'd be foolish to only NOW follow your instincts and go off path.
You feel a bit let down, frustrated, and lost.
So what the hell are you supposed to do next?
It's normal to feel frustrated and even embarrassed that you put your trust in something, to now think?maybe this isn't the right path?for you.
But it feels like you're finally coming up for air and you realize you've been disconnected from yourself this whole time.
How do you regain your sense of direction?
The answer is more simple than you think.
You need to get back in touch with who you are as a human - at your core.
To learn to love & trust yourself and live with real meaning & purpose.
If you don't think that's the answer, then why does something still feel so off?
Why can't you articulate the root problem of why you're feeling how you do?
What is this all for if you're not on the path that you actually want to be on?
Because you have become so distanced from your real self.
Suffering happens when what we think, what we say, and what we do are not aligned.
Direction comes from how strongly you identify with your sense of purpose.
When you know why you do what you do, direction is effortless.
When you feel lost, rudderless, or at a crossroads, it's because you no longer have conviction about what you're doing or where you're headed.
You experience a?lack of purpose.
With everything you've done, sacrificed, and how hard you've worked, you expected things to feel different at this stage.
And your self-confidence gets a little bruised up because of it.
So how do you get purpose back in your life?
Purpose isn't something that comes out of thin air or in a daydream.
Purpose isn't "make lots of money so I can retire young, own a lake house, and travel as much as I want".
Those things are cool, but they're containers with a?hole in the bottom?- always empty.
Purpose comes from?doing meaningful things?for other people.
It's a result of passion, curiosity, and hard work.
Just like a tiny seedling requires water and sunshine to flourish into a tree...
Purpose is the tree, passion is the seedling, hard work is the water, and curiosity is the sunshine.
If you're struggling to find your seedling, consider this:
Chances are you've never given yourself the space to explore why you spend so much time chasing, acquiring, and earning.
What do people really want in life?
What's behind the chase for money, success, status, and milestones?
????????
To be loved, to feel good at what they do, to be part of something bigger than themselves, and to live an authentic life that's true to their core.
Start with compassion for yourself realizing that you don't have to have it all figured out.
Be curious about things that bring you?enthusiasm.
Get out of the box your mind has been living in and be open to new possibilities.
To start, think "If I were to spend my days helping others, what could I help them with most?"
And leave your ego at the door.
Tim ??
Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help:
Athlete | Writer
2 年"men's mental health coach" - me a woman still goes and subscribes ??
Athlete | Writer
2 年TIM so proud of you!!!
Got ADHD? Pay What You Want for my products. (ADHD at Work course coming soon)
2 年Great article Tim. Finding your direction can seem convoluted, but it doesn’t have to be. Notice what you value and that is direction enough sometimes.
Walking across America for men’s mental health | Writer, speaker, & entrepreneur | Jiu-jitsu enthusiast
2 年For actionable mindset & wellness tips geared towards men every Saturday subscribe ?? tperreira.com
Walking across America for men’s mental health | Writer, speaker, & entrepreneur | Jiu-jitsu enthusiast
2 年Direction comes from how strongly you identify with your sense of purpose. ??