Woah! Now, that’s a heavy title!

Many people spend their entire lives perplexed by this question. Philosophers have debated the meaning of life for as long as humanity has existed.

And today, we’re going to try to answer it in this short blog post (yes, really!).

Personally, business has pushed me to think long and hard about my own purpose and how that translates into the companies I create.

Each job and each business is an opportunity to contribute to this world that we live in.

The challenge is that a lot of the time we get wrapped up in the idea of legacy, which can actually cloud purpose.

What is Legacy?

The dictionary defines legacy as:

1: Property (as money) left to a person by a will.
2: Something (as memories or knowledge) that comes from the past or a person of the past

The challenge is that neither of those really touch on purpose. Nobody says, “I want to amass tons of money, so when I die it’s in an account.”

Of course, you may think to yourself, “I want to leave financial abundance for my family and kids.”

This is fair enough, but…

“A staggering 70 percent of wealthy families lose their wealth by the next generation.”

– Yahoo Finance

Then what if, along the way, you exert so much of your time and energy gaining that wealth, you forget to nurture the relationships that you have with your family and friends to their fullest potential?

We’ve all seen movies with some wealthy estranged grandfather sitting at the end of a lonely dark wooden table. He clearly didn’t have a good work-life balance!

In working with business and life coaches for many years, this topic of conversation has come up many times.

My coach, Joey, always tells the story of Marcus Aurelius and how, at one point, he was the most powerful leader in European history.

The reality is that today, practically no one knows his name or who he was.

This just goes to show that no matter how much money or power you amass, your “Legacy” is not what’s left behind.

“The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention”

Thích Nhất Hạnh

Truly caring about other people and giving them your attention is the best gift you can possibly give someone.

What is the best exercise to define my purpose?

The greatest exercise I know to help define your purpose is to write your own eulogy.

Writing your own eulogy gets your mind to go to the end of your life (sorry, a little depressing, but bear with me) and look back at what you created.

By going to the end of life, we can think about the things that have the most meaning to us.

How do you want to be remembered?

By defining how we want to be remembered, it molds the decisions we make today and in this moment.

How the HELL do I write my own eulogy?

The solution to this is much like a process I’ve come to use in business.

Brainstorm ➡️ Set ➡️ Review & Improve

Brainstorm Ideas

If you have the luxury of time and capital, and are comfortable with the idea of psychedelics, what I’m about to suggest is possibly the most powerful thing I’ve ever done.

Find a psychedelic guided retreat somewhere that takes it very seriously and has a long list of positive genuine reviews.

• From personal experience, I like to do 1-on-1 mushroom 🍄 experiences with a shaman or guide
• On the tail end of that experience you are in the most beautifully raw, unadulterated state of consciousness
• Using the clarity you gain to write your own eulogy is, hands down, the most impactful way to unveil your true purpose on this earth

If you’re curious and want to learn more about psychedelics here’s a must-read: How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollen.

If that’s not your path right now, then finding a time, place, and mental space that allows you to think deeply and write the first draft of your own eulogy is a great starting point.

Set Your Intention

Now you’ve got your first draft done, it’s time to start living the way YOU want to.

You will want to make sure you’ve got this sheet printed out. I review mine and read it out loud at least once a month as it helps me keep my aspirations at the top of mind.

You’ll notice that as you continue to progress on your path, things will shift. You’ll add more pieces, and take out some things that you don’t feel connected to anymore.

The idea is that your eulogy is a living document that you iterate and adjust as you progress.

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”

Ernest Hemingway

Review Frequently

Always review and amend your eulogy to ensure you remain on the right track.

I believe the frequency that your eulogy should be reviewed using the above techniques is something that will be 100% dependent on you. Personally, once a year is right for me – you may want to do it more, less, or the same!

Final thoughts on finding purpose

This is only the beginning.

The most beautiful part of finding your purpose is that this is a lifelong pursuit.

There is no race, no competition, no “being better” than anyone else.

We’re all on our own journeys and are here to support each other on that path.

If you’re feeling lost or lack direction on this, just sit down and write. Start with a sentence. See where it takes you.

We’re here to support you on this, so feel free to reach out or comment with questions!