Post: #1

What are Life’s 4 Fundamental Questions?

#1 Who am I?
#2 Where do I come from?
#3 What is my purpose?
#4 What happens when I die?

===
How to rediscover your genius which ties into finding and living your purpose

I am creating a series of posts to address my experiences answering these questions which have been the primary focus of the first thirty-odd years of my life. This thread focuses on exploring answers to the question 'what is my purpose' or 'why am I here?' I have found particular value from 3 resources to help me answer that question for myself. The first resource is a workbook written by an accomplished career coach/consultant/speaker, the second and third are based on esoteric wisdom traditions with practical application to your daily life. The first resource is the most conventional but requires purchasing the book to respect the author's time and energy. Then, it requires an investment of time and a willingness to be honest with yourself to work through it and do the the exercises. You have to really want to know what your unique talent, your genius, is and not just want to continually ask questions hoping others can provide a quick easy answer.

This is a good talk on the meaning and origin of 'genius' through ancient times, plus how one person dealt with the stress of not knowing what her genius is (her confusion is a sign she hasn't or hadn't understood how to articulate her genius and align it with her purpose):


The open-ended questions of that talk were unsatisfying which is where this book came in:


A short introduction to the book, from the back cover

Quote:Set your genius free ... and discover the natural power that drives you to succeed

Behind the experience and talents cataloged in your resume lies an intrinsic power that fuels your soul and your success: your genius.

As ancient as the Greeks, as trendy as New Age, the concept of genius is fully grounded in contemporary life in this powerful journey of self-discovery that takes you right to the core of what makes you unique. Through dozens of compelling stories of people who have realized the transformative power of finding their genius - plus a wealth of practical exercises - Is Your Genius At Work? draws inspiring wisdom from ancient philosophies, spiritual traditions, modern sages, and the author's twenty years of research and study to help you define and give name to your genius, recognize your life's purpose, and discover how to bring your genius wholly alive through your life and work.

What the book has done for me

The process of going through the exercises helped me discover what my genius is, see how it's always been there, and how it connects to finding and fulfilling my purpose. I've even went through it a second time a few years later which helped refine my understanding and increased my confidence about my place in the world. I am now expressing my gifts for my best satisfaction while also serving others. It's no surprise that needing to sharing information and empower others is part of my genius and purpose!

You can work through a page a day, or 10, or the whole book, or start and stop it a dozen times - the important thing is to commit when you're ready. I encourage you to watch yourself and any tendency to return to the same unproductive patterns of behavior that cause you confusion. It's fine to stop and pause - many of the activities that are best for our growth are also uncomfortable so we have to ease into them. But if you don't want to be stuck forever, stick with the exercises. Discovering your genius and expressing it is just like working out: it doesn't give results overnight, but over time. The regular act of building a habit, including finding out about yourself, is healthy and loving to yourself. Once you find your genius then you can see what directions you want to apply it in, which I will discuss in future posts.

'Why do I need to buy a book? Can't I just find my purpose or genius reading free stuff online?'

You don't need to buy anything, but if you need to drive in nails you ideally need a hammer. Any technician knows you use the right tool for the job unless you want to bungle up the work and this tool is the best I've found. Maybe you can find other resources that help you move forward and that's great. It doesn't matter what route you take as long as you don't bang your head against the nail or spin in circles pretending 'it's just too hard!' I told myself endless variations of that ('jack of all trades, master of none') for decades and felt constant frustration. It SUCKED - big time!

This workbook was more useful than all the conversations I've ever had - live or online, because the answers came from inside me. The people I've worked with (unofficial as well as officially) have felt the same way. They get results from this workbook when they stop spinning, take a breath, and commit to going through it. It's simple, though it may not be easy.

Speaking of easy, be aware that the mind / ego will probably NOT want you to do this. You won't be able to blame other for your life; you will have to take responsibility within yourself(*) for what you've done and instead of blaming yourself see that it's all been valuable! Everything you've done has been about your talents either being expressed or constrained. You'll probably experience a sense of losing control or having beliefs and habits challenged. If you feel resistance to this process of finding out what's driving you then guess what? You've got to! As we tell each other in the dating world, 'when in doubt, approach!'

Yes, the book really does work - if you do the work it's asking

As Morpheus says to Neo, 'free your mind' and prepare to leave the swamp of confusion and endless question for a flight into the space of clarity. You'll be able to look on where you've been and see the path weaving it all together. Believe me, it's such a relief!

Dick Richard's genius is helping other people discover theirs. Makes sense, right? His book is excellent for guiding you to being able to complete the sentence (through being asked many times) 'my genius is ____ '. You, too, will have a sense of peace and relief when you finally, through repeatedly looking into yourself, discover a short and powerful statement that brings your life together in a way you didn't see before. Feel free to share your genius and purpose in this thread.

There was a valid critique of the book saying it didn't go into detail about 'is your genius on purpose?' This is a far deeper question than any single book can answer and I address this second part about purpose in upcoming posts. But without knowing your genius, your talents, your soul's unique power, you can't effectively move in a clear direction, a goal, a purpose with real power and duration. You need to first know what tools and aptitudes you have (your genius) to apply them to the right tasks in pursuit of authentic and meaningful goals (your purpose).

I'm happy to provide encouragement via PM for those who have questions. May you find your genius, connect it with your purpose, and know the satisfaction that comes from truly Knowing Thyself.

===

(*) See post linked in my signature about 'Ho'oponopono' / taking responsibility for your life.'

Post: #2

Great stuff!! I'm impressed. Mostly satisfied with the well-meaning of the book review. I just bought a second-hand copy from Amazon.co.uk

Some things I'm grateful you mentioned are: Expressing the need to 'use a hammer' and contribute to the author to get the maximum ROI, The mentioning of 'catching yourself falling into old habits' (I'm a sinner for that), Responsibility (speaks for itself but thanks).. I was already sold at this point. Also worth a mention is the fact that you should probably go over it a few times, I think this stands for anything worthwhile.

Didn't watch the video because you explained it very well.

Can't wait for this book to come through the post!! I was anticipating ideas and my mind was racing while reading your post, much appreciated

Post: #3

Cheers, brother (and thanks for the +1)! Do let us know how it the process / workbook goes for you, it's been my #1 recommendation for everyone (man or woman) looking for purpose. I'm very happy to have come across it. Simple, effective tools are the best (K.I.S.S!).

Also, once you've started the book I welcome you to PM with any questions. Empowering others is part of my purpose!

Post: #4

The idea that creative genius is an external entity that is bestowed on you, something you are blessed with when creating the right circumstances to let it help you, certainly is a liberating one.

After reading enough self-help books, you realize that everything is just a variation of stuff you already know. If you can’t make any progress, change your life situation, e. g. temporarily move to another country, cut the comfort and challenge yourself.

You meet people from very different walks of life. These interactions give you perspective.

Will report back on the book.

+++

I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences with meditation retreats, mystical or spiritual experiences, realizations about your life that came to you while being in nature, vision quests etc.

Don't want to sound esoteric. I just feel that there are lots of untapped resources we can't use by just reading a book.

Post: #5

(02-02-2017 11:43 PM)Chase Wrote:  The idea that creative genius is an external entity that is bestowed on you, something you are blessed with when creating the right circumstances to let it help you, certainly is a liberating one.

After reading enough self-help books, you realize that everything is just a variation of stuff you already know. If you can’t make any progress, change your life situation, e. g. temporarily move to another country, cut the comfort and challenge yourself.

You meet people from very different walks of life. These interactions give you perspective.

Will report back on the book.

+++

I would be very interested in hearing about your experiences with meditation retreats, mystical or spiritual experiences, realizations about your life that came to you while being in nature, vision quests etc.

Don't want to sound esoteric. I just feel that there are lots of untapped resources we can't use by just reading a book.

^ True creativity is born in silence, in a silent mind and relaxed spirit.. Whether it was archimedes dropping into his hot tub.. and so on..

Post: #6

The purpose of life is to live life on purpose.

That's it. The purpose is anything you choose. Just do it purposefully and not like a little bitch. That's the trick.

Post: #7

Oh, the arrogance of humans. We feel as if there's some reason we're here. Some high calling.

The reason you exist is because after billions of years, some molecules all meshed together properly. That's the only reason you live and breathe.

Post: #8

(02-06-2017 12:55 AM)BrewDog Wrote:  Oh, the arrogance of humans. We feel as if there's some reason we're here. Some high calling.

The reason you exist is because after billions of years, some molecules all meshed together properly. That's the only reason you live and breathe.

These kinds of nihilistic comments sound smart but add nothing of value.

We hold beliefs not because they are true, but because they help us to deal with this thing called life in a way that allows us to make sense of it.

Without purpose a man is rudderless, drifting and lost.

Finding a meaning for his existence is one of the most important tasks a man can undertake in his life. To call it arrogant belies a lack of wisdom and real life experience.

Post: #9

(02-09-2017 02:31 AM)rafaeld Wrote:  These kinds of nihilistic comments sound smart but add nothing of value.

Add nothing of value to what? That out of tens of billions of humans that existed, you specifically were created for some high purpose? That we are each a hero here to serve humanity?

Tell me then... why does no one have the answer for, "What is the meaning of life?"

Perhaps there IS no answer. There IS no purpose. Just because I'm not giving you the answer you wish for doesn't mean I'm wrong.

Perhaps we exist because we just do. Your purpose in life is to serve yourself.