Life Purpose

Our attention is externalized all the time, resulting in a numbing of our internal signals.

To start resensitizing, spend more time with yourself without external stimulus, and try to reach the “end of thought”.

Why is finding purpose so hard?

• purpose is not given to you
• comes from within => 100y ago we payed more attention to our internal stimuli => we have externalized almost all our attention (except the shower, which is why shower thoughts exist)
• social media shows us how other people are living their life, and gives us a recipe on how to find happiness, while at the same time numbing your negative and positive emotions needed to figure out what you want in life.
• be mindful of living a life trying to meet external expactations, and listen to your own signals

What's the purpose of boredom?

• stimulation seeking emotional state => tricks us into finding external stimulation, while we really should be sitting with the boredom to reconnect with internal signals
• your brain desperately wants a hit of dopamine
• tries to find visual stimuli to generate thoughts, while the first internal thoughts are usually negative

Why "finding themselves" works scientifically?

• backpacking, hiking, ashrams, meditation retreat, ... you name it
• these trips often take you out in nature, away from technology and into a place where most stimulation comes from interacting with people, nature or within
• you can still see beautiful things, but there's only a couple moments in an 8h hike to would stimulate your senses vs the information overload with technology

How do I find the purpose of life?

• you need to start TODAY
• hike, backpack, ... whatever
• reach the end of thought
  • sit with eyes closed => thoughts will arise
  • stay put => thoughts slow down
  • intense boredom
  • become sensitive to internal drivers, goals and values
• stop looking at other people to duplicate
• remember that the purpose of life is in you, not someone else
• don't adopt the anti-work, or sigma grind set, without knowing what the goal is

Why do it?

We have internal drives that pull us in directions unique to us. Follow these internal signals to find what drives you.

Follow the general direction of where you want to be, but don't compare yourself with a fantasy, cause you will get disappointed AND the fantasy end goal might not be YOUR end goal. Move into the direction you are gravitating towards, because EVERYTHING gravitates to SOMETHING. If you wake up in the morning, wanting to be more in shape. Go for a run. Then don't fantasize over a dream body that is far into future that might not even be yours.

Take the easiest step instead of the perfect step.

Don't be happy about only reaching your goal, be happy about making a step.

The worst possible time to make super detailed plans at the beginning, because we have not enough information that back up the claims.