LIFE OF PURPOSE. In 2020, boost your stamina and make your own Happy New Year!

If you have watched the Netflix production “What if?”, with Renée Zellweger, you might have been disturbed by the opening monologue. Anne Montgomery is a gender-flipped character that raises the same moral dilemma posed by “Indecent Proposal” movie decades ago.

The monologue states that:

“Everything happens for a reason. Think about that for a moment. All your efforts personal, professional, carnal utter and absolute slaves to some cosmically predetermined set of outcomes. As if we have no say in, let alone culpability for, the defining moments in our lives. If you want a life of purpose by inverting the notion that everything happens for a reason. Redefine it. Not as some future explanation for terrible tragedy, or glorious achievement, but as validation of the deliberate choices that lead us to these critical junctures in the first place. Assert authority over chance, fate, and destiny, because everything does happen for a reason. And that reason is you.To attain elite success, you must be willing to make the hard choices, do the unpleasant things, risk your most valuable assets, and do away with the shackles designed by society to limit us: love, marriage, children. And above all, the uninvited imposition of lesser people's moral agendas. Because nothing worthwhile is ever achieved without sacrifice. And true greatness only comes to those willing to pursue it at any cost.”

Indeed, what disturbed me the most was the willingness to pursue things at any cost. My moral compass, principles and values stablishes strong boundaries to pursue any sort of goal or outcome. Moreover, I don′t believe in sacrifice of personal life, family and friends over anything. In fact, I am in favor of work-life balance.

Nevertheless, the opposing idea of “Everything happens for a reason” and “Life of Purpose” is an interesting subject to reflect on. Specially, when comes about professional life and careers.

If you delegate your decisions to an ulterior force that predetermine every aspect of your life, be aware that you are abandoning your “Free Will”. A theological concept present in all monotheist religions. Mostly you are putting yourself in a passive position, where none of your actions matters nor your choices. On the “everything happens for a reason” approach, you are doomed to predesigned outcomes. Nothing you do it’s your responsibility neither your effort can change them.

Even when we are not considering spiritual or religious dimension, we frequently put ourselves in that position. Things that happens to us often are transferred to somebody else responsibility or subjected to someone’s power. Just as we cannot control everything, things that happens to us cannot fully be attributed to third parties.

I affiliate to Sartre’s existentialist system on life choices at his book “Being and Nothingness”, where his philosophical approach can be summarized by:

“We are condemned to be free”, “I am what I do” and “Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does”.

In this manner, “Life of Purpose” in which we are compelled to the consequences of our choices resonates to a decision I have made long ago: to drive my acts and to face whatever effects or consequences they might have.

What brings me to this book I decided to read after a TED Talk with Angela Duckworth: “Grit: the power of passion and perseverance”. The author states that we overrate talent as the main driver to succeed at school, at work or in life. However, her finds during a 5 years research points to another direction. It is the stamina behind williness to endure focused on your goals that leads you to the outcomes you pursue:

Undeniably, the paragons of grit which take to what you want to achieve are: (1)  Interest, (2) Capacity to practice, (3) Pursue that drives passion and (4) Hope.

What about you? Are you going to choose a life of purpose? Or would you rater hide behind a everything happens for a reason argument?

In 2020, boost your stamina! #Dare #TakeControl #Choose #Grit #Persevere #Endure to achieve your goals and passions. Happy new year!!