A Life of Purpose
Written By Alethea Jimison
A Life of Purpose
To live a life of purpose, it’s necessary to evaluate how you are spending your time. The most valuable asset you will ever have is time. It is more expensive than a 2 million dollar Bugatti. Time is the one thing in life that you can never replace once you use it. As a limited resource, it is beneficial to maximize the value of time so we do not waste it.
Using time for entertainment excessively is guaranteed to give you a life that lacks meaning. Entertainment provides stimulation and releases dopamine; however, the over-stimulation of dopamine leads to addictive personality disorders. Addiction can lead a person to feel a confusing sense of loss and boredom while not in a state of stimulation.
Excessive television watching is an example of using entertainment as a stimulant. According to Nielsen’s 2019 Total Audience Report, the average U.S. adult watches almost four and a half hours of television a day. This time is competitive to the estimated three hours a day spent on smartphones.
The compulsive need to entertain oneself is an example of an addictive behavior disorder. If the desire to stay in a state of entertainment overrides the desire to live a life of purpose, a person may experience depression.
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in the U.S. In the latest available study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) about 17.3 million American adults experienced at least one depressive episode in 2017. Research by (NIMH) has also identified a relationship between depression and addictive behaviors.
A person who watches television every night after work may experience depression while not activating dopamine with addictive behaviors. Watching television or interacting with a smartphone for several hours a day keeps a person in a state of inactivity and mental absorption. In this environment, we are constantly bombarded with advertising. As of 2020, it has been estimated that a person will experience an average of 6,000-10,000 ads every day. Television programming is a system that trains the mind to remain in a state of desire. We are constantly being told that we need more money, more status, more beauty, and more happiness. Unfortunately, none of things are not found in entertainment.
Are you spending your time with the right people?
Along with television, other time-wasting behaviors we may have adopted is spending time with people who are not positive influences in our lives. Evaluate if you are wasting your time with people who offer you zero value or opportunity for growth. That includes; drinking buddies, club friends, and negative people.
One way to be inspired to live your purpose is to...
Value yourself enough to surround yourself with people you admire and respect- not just the people who are fun. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “You are the average of the five people you spend time with.” If these people are living a life that you do not want for yourself, then you are also living a life that you do not really want. Find people who inspire you. Find people who are living the life you want. Imitation is the shortcut to education.
Learn something new every day. Learn something that will benefit you- not just amuse you.
We are all designed for happiness and a life of purpose… Why not you?