Living the purpose driven life

                  By Bayo Ogunmupe
       It is fair to say that if you do not have a life purpose,  you won't have time working on it. So what will you be doing with your time instead? One, you will be working on your needs. Two, you will be working on other people's purposes. Three, you will be working for other people's purposes.
       If you don't have purpose, the limit of your work will stop at the level of need. As you work for others, you will be putting efforts into satisfying their needs and greeds. But you may be very lucky to work for someone who is focused on achieving a conscious purpose.
       However, if you do not have your own purpose, you cannot consciously choose to work for someone whose purpose aligns with yours except by chance. Which is why there is a good chance that you will be working hard to achieve a purpose you don't agree with. Thus, you might be given a purpose to achieve which isn't your own choice. Indeed, accepting to spend your whole life that way would be amusing.
       So, if you don't know your purpose in life, you end a nymph. Your life is owned by others. Why? Because without your own purpose others will put you to good use in achieving their own purposes. The company you work for wants to own you and you cannot refuse because you do not have another option.
       However, if you are self aware of your purpose in life, then you will know what is missing in the above scenario. Freedom to pursue  personal happiness was missing. When you don't choose your own purpose, a purpose will be given you by others.
       "What is the meaning of my life?" If you let someone else answer that question for you, then you are owned. Besides, it may not be only one person giving you that answer. Moreover it could be a collection of many sources: advertisers, employers, coworkers, friends and your family. Each contributes its piece to your and answer. That there are so many contributors the answer becomes fuzzy and complicated. So you end up leading a fuzzy life crafted for you by other people.
       Which is why you are only free when you know your purpose and live it consciously everyday. Thus, freedom means you focus on what you can control and by so doing your influence expands so you become a leader no matter your formal position. Your leadership comes from knowing your purpose.
       While your circumstances change, your inner compass remains constant. You could be caught in a sea of problems, yet you are always steering a straight course which gives you the certainty and confidence no one else could muster. It does not matter your position, when you live your purpose you become a leader. When you do not live your purpose, you become property.
       When you choose the work you like doing, you align with your purpose. You will still be bombarded by messages from others who want to own you. But they will become harmless, unable to sway you to their camp. When you live a life of purpose, you begin living on a deeper level where surface happenings, like corporate politics cannot knock you around. Your purpose provides unshakable stability and security.
       If you don't live on purpose, you would not even know how to set goals. Then whose goals are you working so hard to achieve? Perhaps, you are mortgaging your freedom for the purchase of a car to be of a better service to your owners? To break free, you have to know your own purpose. Then your life becomes immensely fulfilling. You will finally be free.