A Worthwhile Purpose

A Worthwhile Purpose

Having a sense of mission makes me happier. What am I doing in this world? Why do I do it? Why do I get up every morning? I like Seneca’s phrase, “If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” There are four things that I get up for every morning and that matter most in my life: my work (professional development), my family, my friends (the people I love), and the spiritual part of life.

It is important to know oneself and others. This does not mean that there are good or bad people. If we were all the same, it would be incredibly boring. You could say that in my case, I concentrate more energy on the left side of my brain, meaning I am a methodical person who is logical, analytical, and sequential. I try to put this “orderly and systematic” mind at the service of others with courage and audacity. I need to be with myself at certain times of the day to capture this energy. At the same time, I don’t consider myself an introvert because when I’m with other people, I like to create a good atmosphere and I try to see the good in everyone, being aware that not everyone thinks like me.

Work

These are my reflections on the relationship between the meaning of work and personal fulfillment, working conscientiously, unity of life in the profession, and why work is essential in the 21st century but can never be our ultimate end:

Work is health and a school of virtues. A job has to fulfill me, but I look for a good environment, one that makes me grow, contribute, improve, and for us to improve together, one where we want to go to work and we want to go home… that’s a 10/10 job. And if I get paid well, even better. Become professionally complacent? No! I believe in aiming very high. Important traits in this aspect are punctuality, not making excuses, intensity, and knowing how to yield.

I have met many brilliant people in the industry I work in and have shared meals with them, and sometimes I get disappointed when I see that they are so focused on their own world that they are almost socially dysfunctional, incapable of empathy. I think we have lost the human part, and that makes me sad. We run the risk that the idolatry of knowledge or professional ‘successes’ will fill us with pride. As I said, extremely brilliant and sharp people who sometimes seem bitter or lonely.

I firmly believe in not having parallel lives and masks at work. You have to be who you are. It cannot be denied that we live in an unbeatable time to work in what we are passionate about, and despite this, I find many people who feel an existential void and loneliness. Why do I think the question is not what do I do to be happy, but how do I give meaning to this life?

Everything has to be in its place. Ordered. We know the importance of work, but it has to be put in its place; there are more important things like family. The hostilities we go through at work can never exempt us or be an excuse for us not to be charitable. It helps me a lot to love others as they are, those who do not think like me. I see the good that everyone has. If we strive to live human virtues at work (not criticizing, being optimistic, sociable, trusting, etc.), it will be much more bearable. I have to improve on something that I think others sometimes think: I am too categorical when expressing my own opinion, and I can give the appearance that I think my own approaches are the definitive ones, or I am not actively interested in what others say, and these are ways of acting that can lock me in on myself. Sometimes, these behaviors manifest an inability to distinguish what is debatable from what is not, and I realize it, but I have difficulty relativizing topics where the solutions are not necessarily unique.

Work has to be a place where we are dignified, it has to express and manifest that human dignity and increase it. Okay, you know the science and technique of your profession, but do you have habits that dispose you to apply that technique correctly? It is very important to create work spaces with comfort to withstand the pressure.

There should be gratuitous gestures. Be natural and noble with what we think, not betray our own identity, but also not be arrogant, not look down on people. Work is the place where we will spend the most hours of our lives. Fulfillment is not that everything is perfect, calm, and full of happiness, no, no… It is how I see that I have to serve others, contribute to social development. I’m not saying it’s easy, but it helps me to always accept what happens to me as good. Work is VERY important because it dignifies us, but it cannot be put before marriage, children, family, others… “

Family and Friends: The People I Love

In the family is where customs and character are forged. Love is what truly makes us free and makes us do optimal things. Sometimes my family corrects me, but I take it as something positive because they love me and put me first, they want the best for me. Correction is a thermometer of whether charity is being done well. It greatly strengthens family unity. I think I have to learn to listen more, because listening is charity. For this I have to be available and have time to listen to people because this requires patience. This affection is also manifested in knowing how to ask how everyone is or knowing what interests each one. I try to do what I would like others to do for me because the family is the best equipped to set an example.

For me, friendship is a reciprocal, dialogued benevolence. The key is disinterestedness. In general, I am quite available to meet with my friends and talk about what interests each one. I try to make the other person feel important. I believe that friendship consists of enjoying all human things. Friendship is demanding and I have to try to forgive, understand, love, and do favors selflessly. When I have done this, my friends come to me to open their hearts. I don’t expect anything in return for this self-giving, but I see it as normal for it to be reciprocated. Friendship is giving without expecting anything in return. It is not giving lessons, it is more about helping to discover horizons full of beauty.

The Spiritual Part: Faith and Gratitude

There are many American studies that relate belief in God to doing well in life. Without going into detail, for me, faith is a gift. It is not just believing in a doctrine, it is believing in a person. Of course, there are free things in this life. Of course, it demands a response because it is an encounter, but truly committed faith changes and transforms life. It is not enough to know and love it, you have to live it with concrete actions. Something very practical that I do is to share it because if it is not shared, it is lost.

It is bitter enough to wake up at six in the morning not to live this quadrant to the fullest, which for me is happiness. When you share joy, you receive joy. True happiness is in giving oneself to others. What really fills the heart is love. For me, happiness consists in doing what I have to do and finding joy in it. This is a great challenge, but it is not so much about fighting for the perfect, but for the enamored. I will try to live in balance to fly far towards happiness.