Reignite the spark in your life by discovering it's true purpose in just 15 mins!

A boring repetitive life.

At one point in life, it gets quite routine and boring. Same day rewinds and replays. For a break, people go on vacations, which last a few days, or at the most few weeks. Then it's back to same routine. 

This set me thinking... 

Is there a way to make life interesting most of the time, if not all the time, instead of just sometime? 

Make it interesting in the normal working day, instead of looking for recreation, like movies or shopping or vacations?

Can work and non work zones, both be made super interesting? 

Importance of purpose.

I had heard somewhere. "You are born twice. the second time, is when you discover your purpose". Meaning, you are a new person, when you find your purpose. This was quite interesting...and the quest began! 

I came across the Japanese principle of ikigai and a study on longevity. After all, people who have a purpose, live longer, as they are more fulfilled internally and happier. This made sense.

A hint from landmark forum.

I remember doing a program from landmark forum about 25 years back. It was an Advanced program, after the basic program. This was two days i think. At the End of it, i declared my Purpose as "creativity". The process to get to this, was quite long and did not base it self on logic, but was on a long emotional life story based method. Maybe, i was not ready for it. It never stuck with me and life was going on as usual. Looking back, instead of two days, can i get the purpose in 15 mins? A question worth answering! 

An interesting conversation with Nikunj:

Some years back, I had an interesting conversation, as I checked with my friend Nikunj on this topic, as he is one our master mind group members. 

Me: Did you find the purpose of life?

Nikunj: I have bought the book on ikigai.

Me: Did you find the purpose of life?

Nikunj: I have read the book 3 times. 

Me: Did you find the purpose of life?

Nikunj: No.

The problem of finding the purpose.

I realized then, that though there are many models to understand what is the purpose of life, there is no quick easy technique to discover the purpose of life. All given at one place. 

Training program in ikigai.

I had attended a one day training program on ikigai conducted by ambrish chheda during the lockdown. It gave a much better insight on the "purpose".

However, things don't get done, until you deep dive into them, reflect, contemplate, study, corelate, so much that they get firmly in the mind like concrete, set and unshakable. 

Otherwise, it's like another book, another training. The effect wears off in a few days, if it's a weekend, the effect is gone completely, as you party! 

The ikigai program was the start of the journey into discovering the purpose.

I had 2 questions.

1. Can the purpose of life be found easily and accurately without any doubts? 

2. Can the purpose of life be found fast. in 15 Mins?

The thoughts presented here have evolved over a period of 4 years, and self experience. They are not a result it just reading one book, attending one program...

The model. 

The ikigai model is given below. A careful study of the model is enough to get the concept right. It essentially has 4 parameters. When two are fulfilled, it shows what happens. When three out of four are fulfilled, it shows, what it lacking. A super interesting representation. 

i am not dwelling more into this, as there are many books written on it, videos are available.  you can see this link to explore more. 

https://ikigai-living.com/what-is-ikigai/

A short introduction by ambrish is here.

https://youtu.be/rK14eJhrimc?si=skc5vANkl22LHldd

Instead of knowing more about the ikigai model, and understanding it to gain more knowledge, let's explore the way to find the purpose and fundamentally alter the perspective of life. 

Propose is like a Goggle.

Lets assume that red is your favorite color. Discovering the purpose is like wearing a red colored goggle. The  world remains the same. The work remains the same. The people are the same. You just see it in a different color, red color, your favorite color. Everything suddenly seems to be interesting. The perspective changes, completely. And as it's a Goggle, you have the freedom to change it or remove it! 

Lets see the method to discover the purpose in 15 mins. 

This is done in two phases...

1. From the intellect. 

2. From the heart. 

Let's see the first phase. It has 4 steps. 

Step 1: 

The 4 column table method

Whenever I need clarity, i make a flow chart or a table. It makes things so much easier. 

You make a table like this in 4 columns and twenty rows to begin with. I will share by own example in this exercise, so that you understand the concepts better.  

You should always start with what you love to do. Often people do things  for decades, only to realize that their inner calling is someting else. Its best not to waste time and get the purpose clarified earlier in life to lead a more fulfilled life. 

Make sure that you write the things that you love to do,  are described in as minimum words as possible. This is filled in the first column. Please don't write a paragraph. A few words are enough. 

This is the fundamental step. Never ever all the things you are good at, can make money come first. They follow after what you love to do. 

The table gives a structure. The circles in ikigai are good to understand, but hard, very hard to implement to find the purpose. As you don't know where to start. The start is always from what is close to your heart. Most people make a list of all the things that make money, all the things that they are good at, all the things, that can change the world, and then start to see what is common etc. This is a long excercise. You may get some insights, but finding the purpose may remain elusive. I had faced a similar challenge.

Coming back to the exercise. Against each, then just mark Yes, in the following 3 columns. It's that simple. The first column usually takes the longest time. 

List down all your hobbies, whatever you like, into this. 

Second column. Am i good at it? I like bartending, it is interesting to see the mixing of various liquids coming together, and create a drink that matches to the personality of the person! However, I am not very good at it, neither can make any money out of it and i dont think, it can create great value for the world. So this remains as my hobby.

Third column. Can i make money from it?

If you are trying to get the one activity as the purpose, it better make money! hence this column. Mark yes here where relevant.

Fourth column. Can i add massive value?

The fulfillment comes throught giving massive value. this is covered in the model. Mark yes here where relevant.

You will get some fundamental insights in this table now. These are in the fifth column. Against each activity, write down, if it's your passion, profession, or a hobby. This is knowing yourself better. You can do this later, it's not essential to be done at this stage. 

Now look at the row which has all 3 columns filled and marked as "yes". This is what is the likely purpose of your life.  You may discover 1 or 2 or 3 that are the likely purpose for you. Some will be close, like reverse engineering and innovation are very close. The next step will validate which one is really close to your heart, as the brain has done its logical activity now.

Phase 2. From the heart. 

Step 2: Validation 

Once the likely purposes of life are shortlisted, the next set 5 of questions to ask is

If I do this activity for the rest of life, will I enjoy it thoroughly? 

Will I lose track of time while doing this? Will I never get bored of it? 

Will I get so engrossed in it, that I will not any have any other distraction or interruption get into the way? 

If the answer to all the questions above is yes, then we have hit the jackpot. If the answer to any one of these is no, the purpose is not felt strongly.  you will have to do the phase 1 again. The heart and head have to be in sync for this, as it's the core of your very existence.

Rebirth.

Discovery of life purpose is one of most fundamental things you can do in this lifetime. Most people die, without discovering it.. What a waste... Some discover it by accident. Here you have discovered it with a process, that works! Life will never be the same again. This is a process that always works. Is proven. Is easy and fast.

This answers both the questions of finding the purpose easily and quickly for me. 

Let's see my example now. 

Innovation is my purpose 

Looking at the table above, the answer for me is INNOVATION. This is different from creativity, which i had discovered earlier. A profitable invention is innovation. Profits can be made only when you sell. Selling happens only when you add value. The whole thing, now made sense. I can keep innovating for ever. I love it, i make money out of innovating, i am good at it and my innovations have a huge impact on the world too. 

Applying innovation in life.

So when I look at anything wearing the "goggles" of innovation, everything looks interesting. I am passionate about knowing new things, reverse engineering them, designing products and services for multiple businesses. Recently when i had some issues with high blood pressure, i used innovative combination of techniques to get it under control. Even the approach to spiritual studies i have undertaken, is innovative, as it's simple, direct and relevant to todays life. It's ancient principles, applied to todays context. 

How innovation helps me.

This purpose of innovation takes me to new places, meeting new people, discussing new ideas, trying new drinks, trying new food. Everything in my life is innovation, improvement. 

I naturally connect to innovative people.

My client, and now my close friend Sanjeev has filed over 600 patents! The level of connection we have in all topics including health, yoga, spirituality and science with business is amazing. I intently listen to his ideas and dwell upon them, as he has more life experience than i do, is wiser, travelled more, handled much larger buisnesses... he is my trusted advisor! Similarly you will connect closely with people with similar propose. The connection will be instant and deep.

Pitfalls of purpose and how to avoid them.

No wonder anything routine is not interesting to me. To overcome this, i have a team, who takes care of the day to day operations. Leaving me for innovation. So anything that is not related to the purpose-innovation, i have to delegate and monitor. To get things done, i understand that i need excellence in operations. I have a team which is good at it. 

Your purpose could be anything.

Your purpose could be anything. It can be excellence, creativity, contribution etc. Usually described in a single or a few words. It's the key that you realise the purpose. 

Impact of realising the purpose.

Recently, i have discovered that innovation and marketing go together. It's a new paradigm. A new learning, which prompted my to create a leads genaration "machine". Earlier, i used to innovate and not focus on selling. Now I am equally passionate about marketing and sales, like i am with innovation! 

Can ikigai be personal?

ikigai is not just about work. I had read an example, where a grandmother has discovered the purpose of her life as taking care and loving her grand daughter. 

the key is to find out what fulfills you. It will be different for different people. Many different "goggles"!

Mistaken purpose of giving.

earlier I had mistaken that purpose is giving as i worked directly on the model with circles and not the table method and the validation step. 

But what will enable giving? I again researched and reworked on the table method. There are two reasons, why giving can not be the purpose. 

1. Giving is not the purpose, purpose is innovation. Giving is the fulfillment that comes from the need of the soul. The other one being growth, as per Tony Robbins. 

2. Giving (adding massive value to the world) is already covered in one of the parameters in the table, so it can't be the purpose. 

How sunny got the purpose

My friend sunny visited me a few days back. He is an ace consultant in the hospitality business. He discovered that he likes to learn, research and create. His purpose is "Curiosity" He is curious to learn new things, new models etc. This has brought clarity in this life to a great extent. He knows how to view something to make it interesting.

Many friends have benefitted.

I have taken sessions on this technique in person with many friends... sushma, milonee, yatin, nikunj, rachana, deepti and so many others. Most have discovered their purpose.. Someone who reads this blog will get the purpose quickly and easily. That is the goal of the blog. This will also save me time! 

Keeping the purpose alive.

Finding the purpose, writing it and then forgetting it, will get you back to the same life again. The key is to be aware of the purpose at all times. This is readily done by being in the state with eternal aum within.

Blessing:

May you discover the purpose of life, quick and easy to transform your life. May you always be aware of this purpose by being in eternal aum sound.