I first heard this concept of “Don’t put off living” in a book recently. Titled, “The Monk who Sold his Ferrari”, it’s a story about a hot-shot lawyer who gives up everything to become a monk in the mountains. Late in the book, Julian, the antagonist, goes into detail about his decision to give up all tangible things to reach an intangible goal: fulfillment. What is life about? Why are we here? For obvious reasons, these are the questions that have perplexed Western civilization for centuries. The thought of having a purpose for your life seems cliche and fraudulent. With 7 billion people on Earth, you mean to tell me that every individual’s life has a deeper meaning? In my opinion, that’s exactly correct. That being said, it’s extremely important to search for your purpose daily. Most people go throughout life not even having an idea of what their purpose could be. After reading this book, I’ve learned that the search for deeper meaning starts within. We go throughout life acting as if we are going to live forever. The daily intricacies are often overlooked and taken advantage of. The little things of life are the most beautiful and as a society we have missed the beauty in our search for deeper meaning. We go through our days on cruise control, falling victim to a schedule and routine. Each day is the same for most people; go to work, come home, and do it all over again for five days a week. After doing some simple math, that’s 260 days per year that we are a victim of our professions. We never hit the pause button on life and ask ourselves, “why am I here?”. I don’t believe that a career and a purpose go hand in hand, no matter the profession. There are millions of ways to start your search for meaning. Something as simple as a few minutes of meditation or a good book can offer the perspective shift that you may need to kickstart your journey. By no means am I an expert on this subject after one book but I have asked myself the necessary questions to start my journey for deeper meaning. Remember, fulfillment is a journey and not a destination. That being said, your purpose is found in the journey of deeper meaning. Like anything else in life, the journey is the destination. Fulfillment is reached through continuous and persistent action. A simple shift in perspective could be the start to the rest of your life. Don’t put off living.
