Purpose and Iteration
What is my aim? What are my intentions in life? How can I find that voice who knows exactly where I should be, what I should do and how?
Many of us have a pretty clear aim in life - to make a contribution. Contribution being a core human need, we quest for a particular strategy to pull this off.
What if we begin by systematically connecting with that inner voice, that all knowing self, the judge best suited for YOUR choices and yours alone? Combine this with "it is what it is” and you’re working with strong tactics. Invisible, unmeasurable, these truths are always at our service.
When we override these two realities we try to push the river.
A less esoteric view on this is Seth Godin’s teaching on shipping. He teaches us to ship, to get our work into the world. Ship then iterate. Only after shipping can we become more clear about the effects of our work. Shipping leads to clarity. Clarity produces greater satisfaction.
I learned bespoke jacket making from a master. Day in and day out he quested for better techniques, movement toward perfection - a pocket with less bulk, less headache mounting a sleeve, easier methods for students to learn with equal quality results.
After I finished my course he said he had nothing more to teach me. He said that only after “shipping” could I have any need to learn more. Once you’ve mastered the essentials, shipping is THE next step. He cut me loose to ship and iterate.
Finding our purpose is akin to trying on a number of outfits. Each outfit’s fit, style and color are distinct, few are purchase-worthy. We need to experiment and try different things. Showing up, experimenting, succeeding and failing, is how we find our sweet spot.
Maybe, the secret to life lies in accepting "it is what it is," then seeing what we can do with "it."
One way to go with the flow is to accept that what we’ve chosen might not be a forever fit. Might it be enough to seek the right channel, then iterate? To go with the flow yet not aspire to arrive, since the flow always flows?
