I see many posts in my feed lately on how to help you “be more happy”, “find your purpose”, and urge you to “pursue your IKIGAI”—that magical intersect between what you love to do, can do, the world needs, and gets you paid… that ONE purpose in life that “can set you free”… but, does it really?
What if that’s all a mirage… another pop-psychology soundbite regurgitated to keep you blind to what already is…
… trapped in a fixed destination: the tyrannical pursuit of that ONE purpose,
… stuck chasing unicorns in some impending future,
forgetting to live in the moment.
So, what’s my proposal?
Don’t pursue happiness…
or purpose…
pursue meaning instead.
The beauty of meaning, as opposed to purpose, is that it’s not something you chase or declare once and for all. It’s something that emerges and evolves—
as you live your life,
as you engage with the world around you,
as you embrace the people around you.
Meaning is found in life itself… in every moment of every day.
And because meaning is ever so present, it seems fleeting.
You know how, when there’s a constant repeating sound in your environment, you stop hearing it? I remember, when I lived in Egypt, my bedroom overlooked a train station, and there was a long loud train whistle at least every 45 minutes or so. So, I stopped hearing it, and I would only notice it when my friends on the phone would complain about that loud long whistle in the background…
That’s what I think happens to meaning.
We don’t see it anymore, and therefore think it’s missing from our lives. Not because it’s not there, but because our mind is constantly engaged in that hypothetical future—the one that’s holding our salvation, finally fulfilling all of our hopes and dreams, and “sets us free”.
So, we get lost in that futuristic maze…
… start chasing that next dopamine kick,
and numb ourselves with soundbites that shine like diamonds but are hollow inside.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting we stop dreaming or hoping all together…
I’m suggesting that we focus on recognising meaning in what already is, first…
… in the circumstances we are already in,
… the roles we already play,
… the people who are already in our lives.
I make a living supporting those who find themselves in a place of transition. Sometimes that transition is forced upon them by an employer or life in general. But many of them choose to pursue something different that can hopefully fill a sense of void or confusion or longing…
And my job is to help them first understand “what is”, so that they can step into “what can be” with much more clarity and, dare I say, purpose. But that purpose is not the same as your IKIGAI… It’s a sharpened perspective…
Here’s a final thought on meaning.
When we pursue it, it doesn’t promise eternal bliss or comfort… in fact, it can get terribly uncomfortable—at times even painful. But it does promise us this: drive, energy, passion, determination, stamina, resilience to walk the mile… a sense of being “whole”… and, if we can pay enough attention to its sound, in the “here and now”, it can give us wings to explore the unchartered… and literally “set us free”…
Having said all that,
if meaning is still not enough for you, and you really, really, want to understand your ONE purpose in life—here’s one for you:
LOVE.
That’s our one and only purpose: to learn how to love one another—unconditionally. AGAPE—that’s our purpose.
How we get there?
That’s life.
Your life. My life. Our life.
And the meaning we make of it—
every moment of every day.
Here’s to a meaningful 2026!
PS: No AI has been used or harmed in the writing of this post. All em-dashes and stream of consciousness are my own.
Recommended resources:
- Link to original LinkedIn post
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