I Found My Purpose In Life And It Didn’t Help

The dreaded question “what do you do?” haunted me for awhile. I finally found my purpose and the answer to the question, but along with it came more than I expected.

Beyond finding a romantic partner, the most important quest I’ve taken in my life has been to find work that is meaningful. Now having discovered meaningful work I can say it is the most vital adventure you can go on and the pay off is not what you’d expect.

Ever since I was five people have been asking me what I want to be when I grow up?

The phrasing of this question fascinates me. Because people ask about what you want to ‘BE’.

It’s not about what you want to do. Or what kind of work you’d find fulfilling.
(Challenging concepts for a five year old indeed)
But it’s about who you want to be.

Because like it or not, work is who you are.

Any time you meet someone socially one of the first questions they ask is, What do you do?

Because that’s the salient feature of your existence.

What do you do?

They don’t ask what kind of food you cook?
Or what books shaped who you are?
Or what god(s) do you worship?
(at least not right away)

They ask what you do?