Stop Seeking Your Purpose… Do This Instead
How to avoid searching for the unsearchable
Lacking purpose is one of the most common problems in our modern society.
It is likely why you are miserable or feel lost.
You are told you haven’t found your purpose because you either don’t have a religious belief or have not found a higher calling.
The issue with being told that it leads you to a search.
And constantly searching for your purpose will rarely help you find it.
When you search, you overglamorize the result, question yourself, and then you never end up finding it.
Instead… try this!
The search
Imagine you just got bitten by a spider, you become feverish, and then you pass out for some time.
When you awaken, you have superpowers. You are Spiderman!
You are stronger, faster, and more aware than everyone else. This is your edge.
This is what you need to look for in your edge. This is what is called finding your zone of genius.
Your zone of genius is found in the things you love doing and are naturally good at. Because you love these things so much, you can improve rapidly. The talent feels natural.
In this zone, you shine.
I felt something similar when I first played chess.
In grade 4, I performed exceptionally well in a provincial tournament despite having no coach.
It felt natural.
This made me want to practice more. The more I practiced, the more I felt like a genius.
Finding your zone will feel like that. Keep searching until you find that.
Finding your zone of genius
The search for your zone of genius does not have to be difficult. It is easier than finding your purpose.
Purpose is a loaded term. It’s hard to pin it down unless it smacks you in the face.
Your zone of genius, on the other hand, is usually right in front of you the whole time. And if it isn’t, all it requires is trying a bunch of new things.
Where do you start?
Start by writing down the things you enjoy doing, or are good at.
Next, write down the things you’ve always wanted to try, or think you might be good at.
And finally, start experimenting with those things.
If it’s a sport or game, play against others. If it’s a skill, practice, and see how fast you improve.
Here are a few zones of genius I have seen in those around me:
Music
Poker
Dance
Singing
Puzzles
Cooking
Comedy
Learning
Gardening
Mathemathics
Those who discover their zones not only have a higher likelihood of success in life or mastery, but also a higher likelihood of happiness.
The happy genius
Those who have found their zone know exactly where to spend their time. All the other distractions no longer matter.
Some benefits follow:
Their pride rises
They can focus their energy
They experience constant progress
Pride
We all love winning.
You love winning even more when it is something you know you are good at. The more you work in your zone of genius, the more you win. With the wins comes pride.
Focused energy
When you work outside of your zone of genius, the activities and tasks you take on drain your energy. When you work in your zone, your energy feels nearly unlimited.
You can eliminate distractions in the zone. In fact, you will do it automatically, without even intending to.
Constant progress
A large part of your life is spent working. No matter what you do for work, if you stay stagnant, you become miserable.
Spending time in your zone of genius results in you making progress far more often. This can be quite the feeling.
As each of these benefits comes to fruition, happiness comes along for the ride.
And with happiness comes simplicity.
You know where you want to use your energy, you want to share this with the world, and you want to connect with others who are in the same zone as you.
Your life becomes focused. You know what to do.
Your happiness continues to grow.
Before you know it, you are a happy genius.
You might have found your purpose
The funny thing is, your “purpose” in life is often found in your zone of genius.
People say they’ve found their purpose when they find their people, can help others, or know where to spend their time.
These are all things that can be done when you’ve found your zone of genius.
Connecting with those in your zone is where you find your people
When you find your zone, it is easy to help others in the same zone
In your zone, you will be able to spend a never-ending amount of time striving for improvement.
Sure, you won’t always find your purpose in your zone of genius, but it is a journey that leads to happiness either way.
Thanks for reading