Purpose Nihilism
How Nihilism is just another form of purpose anxiety
I've had several engaging conversations about purpose with individuals I would describe as nihilists. Their arguments are clear: they believe life is inherently meaningless and, consequently, that the concept of purpose is invalid. Often, they argue that the term "purpose" itself has become meaningless. When I propose a simple definition—“Why we do the things we do”—they tend to bristle. They argue that there is no "why," just a series of activities and goals to execute strategically. We fill our lives with these actions but neither move closer to nor further from some exalted state of happiness or truth. To me, this perspective seems quite skeptical.
In these discussions, I've noticed a strong resistance to the idea that there might be purpose in their own lives. When I share that I experience a profound sense of purpose daily, describing my concept of “little p” purpose, they often appear unimpressed.
"You mean you just do what you want? What brings you joy? That’s not purpose!"
But why not? Many of these individuals struggle to articulate what truly inspires them or what makes them feel their time is well spent. In contrast, I, along with many others, can define this sense of purpose, which research has shown to correlate with health, longevity, and happiness.
So, does purpose exist? Absolutely. Denying its existence seems to me to be just another form of purpose anxiety. The notion of purpose may cause such discomfort because they can't identify the anchors of purpose in their own lives. Instead of seeking them out, it’s easier to dismiss their existence entirely.
To claim that nothing matters and that everything is meaningless—does that sound like happiness to you?
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Did you catch this week’s episode of Earn & Invest (Click to listen)?
Path to Purpose Coaching
Over the last year, writing my new book The Purpose Code, I have spent a huge amount of time thinking about, writing about, and discussing purpose. I have offered one-on-one and group coaching to my mastermind group, Wealth With Purpose. These discussions stem from my real life encounters with dying hospice patients as well as the numerous interactions I have had with people after reading Taking Stock.
What I've found is that most of us who listen to the Earn & Invest Podcast struggle with three basic issues:
How do I define purpose in my life?
How do I transition to a more fulfilling career?
What is enough money look like? Enough life?
To help navigate these waters, I have decided to offer the Path to Purpose coaching program. This is one-on-one coaching with me to help you further define purpose, direction, and career. Sessions will be spread over five weeks with a goal to provide a more concrete and enjoyable path to crack the purpose code and start living your life now whether you are broke, pre financial independence, financially independent, or beyond.
https://www.earnandinvest.com/coaching
The Purpose Code is Now Available!
