Living a Life of Purpose ... on Purpose

Ryan, since you’re so loyal to my blog, I have to give you a shout out today. Ever since we had drinks and thought-provoking conversation last Wednesday, the wheels of my creative brain have been turning about the ideals of having “purpose” in life. I feel it is a strong case for the characters (current and future) I intend to shape. Change is such an incredible force that comes with finding purpose, and I think the effects on the supporting characters will be the most compelling of all.

There are many times, and many individuals, who consider “a life of purpose” a luxury. Growing up in a town like Springfield, MO, I learned quickly that some communities operate like clockwork, ensuring that everyone has a job to benefit the whole. A small city built on the foundations of local trades and the notion of “keeping the business in the family,” there is only room for living in survival, or the most basic, mode – fulfilling only the most basic human needs. But is this really the “purpose” – already laid out by generations of tradition and repetitive lifestyles?

Finding purpose often can mean great isolation and loneliness for one person. If your purpose is not shared by the moral principles (or understanding) of your friends, family, or even society, can you have the resolve to walk the path alone? And when do you consider yourself successful? When everyone understands the meaning behind your work, and is able to believe in the rewards of your path?

Some may think becoming a politician is a powerful purpose. Or perhaps, it’s writing a book to influence and/or change public perception and action. Simply living a life that’s your own, undeterred by societal social rules, family expectations, and religious boundaries, could generate a ripple effect larger than a single person could imagine. I think immediately of “American Beauty,” a deep and realistic telling of a man’s path to purpose. By deterring from his old life and discovering a strange, new objective for his life, he inspired only a few (probably more the audience) and left his loved ones confused, resentful, and resistant to the changes that he’d inflicted on them. I believe that’s a strong character on a journey, being able to live in his own enlightened way, and being so completely disaffected by other forces.