Why purpose drives happiness...

Without purpose I lost myself. I got on the treadmill of life way too early, straight out of high-school.

I started climbing ladders, and I did it for decades, all the way up to and over 150k.

I can confirm that not only did it not make me happy, but it made me into someone I didn't even recognise.

I didn't know myself at all. Which is why, as I went about my days, I felt like a robot, living someone else's life.

Without purpose, I didn't know who I was, and without knowing who I was, I felt worthless. That company would replace me in a second. All my hard work would have no impact.

I supported partners, their children, other people who had purpose, because I didn't think I had one.

I became deeply depressed and I couldn't figure out why. I appeared to have everything.

It turned out that with all that money, I had no assets. Because our greatest assets are self-worth, self-love and purpose. And I believe that these are the foundations for everything else that is worth living for.

Purpose comes from within you. This knowing that the path you are on is the one for you. Knowing that you were meant to do this exact thing. It gives you happiness because you know it is for you, and only you.

You're not supposed to live someone else's purpose.

You're supposed to live your own.

When you find your purpose and finally break the old patterns, you feel free. You know you're not stuck on a rat wheel going nowhere anymore.

You know that you are fulfilling what you came here for. It's deeply soulful. It's deeply satisfying. It's like a gift from the other side.

When you set your life up to be able to pursue that purpose, then it becomes about so much more than the money. It becomes about the joy you feel every day.

Why do we even apply for jobs we know we are not going to like? Why do we take on things with the intention of enhancing a certain 'futute' self, whilst current you, is going to be completely miserable?

What if you never got to that future moment, and you wasted all the time you have been given on this planet, being miserable?

The rat wheel works like this.

You start with a junior job, and maybe, a pocket full of good intentions, but no idea really about your purpose. Then, someone offers you a job with more money and slightly more stress, so you take it. This means you can afford to buy a house, a car, a wardrobe. Then, with all those extra expenses, things get a little tight, but never fear because you've been offered an even better job (more money) with a little more stress. Then, the roof floods in your house, and you are not sure how you will handle it, but never fear, because there is another job, fairly large stress involved, but you are a shoe in. Then, you think you need a big holiday, if you just work this job until the end of the year, you can afford it...

As you can see, that rat wheel is designed to keep you on it. Money chasing will lead to more money chasing. It will never be enough, although you'll have yourself convinced that you'll be happier when you get to 'the next thing', when you break it down, you realise that you won't.

So how do we find our purpose and build a life to support that purpose?

If you're asking that question, then you're already on the right track.