Burdened With Glorious Purpose
Hey everybody, I hope you all are doing well. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. A lot of people have been struggling to find purpose in their lives. I went to church a couple of days ago and the reoccurring theme with young people my age and younger is “Why is my life so hard? Why aren’t things going exactly the way I want them to?” Not to be super judgemental, I was somewhat stunned by these young people complaining about how “hard” adulting is. Now I won’t spend this blog post belittling people and their hardships in life. Who am I to judge? But in my humble opinion, generally speaking, of course, we young millennials, Gen Z and younger don’t have a clue about what true adversity is.
Lately, I’ve been delving into some historical podcasts, in particular one called MartyrMade. This podcast goes into explicit detail about the historical and cultural nuances of people who have dealt with oppression in the truest sense of the word. People who worry about what the next day will bring and if the next day will be their last. It is sickening hearing accounts of actual victims from topics covered in the podcast such as the terror of the Soviet Union, anti-Semitism pre WW2, Israel, and Palestine before the most recent conflict, and even ethnic violence here on American soil to name a few. I listen to this stuff, as hard as it is to hear, so I can be informed. The main theme I get is that despite how hard I perceive my life to be, at least I am not getting beaten, mutilated, or killed like people today in third-world countries and back since the dawn of humanity’s existence.
I hear this kind of stuff and my heart aches. It aches for people who are actual victims. It keeps me grounded. So when I hear a young person complain about their first-world problems, I immediately think of people who deal with real oppression, and I realize that theirs and my hardships aren’t so bad. Sure, we may need to vent and find an outlet to be vulnerable, but if people can deal with and even overcome their hardships, then so can I.
I love hearing success stories of people who can accomplish their goals despite the odds. At first, they are broken when they hit rock bottom, but once they snap out of it and develop the mentality that they will accomplish their goals no matter what is thrown at them. This kind of stuff inspires me and is a key reason why I have not given up on life.
All of us have our own unique crosses to bear. What may be difficult for me may not be the same for you, and vice versa. Based on my experience, the only way to overcome a trial is to develop a winning mindset. One of my favorite podcast personalities is a retired Navy Seal Commander named Jocko Willink. He talks to his audience about developing a mindset that is used in the military called “Mental Toughness.” He talks about when you go through adversity, no matter how big or small it is, you should think to yourself, what are some strategies and tactics I can develop and use to deal with this problem? He also tells people that he looks forward to problems and adversity because it allows him to become a stronger and better human being. As a matter of fact, he pursues difficult things for that exact reason. And I am slowly developing that type of mindset.
There is an amazing quote from a book by G. Michael Hopf called “Those Who Remain” that says, “Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.” This quote sums up humanity’s existence in a nutshell. My worldview, at least as an American, is that we are living in good times but are surrounded by weak leaders, a corroding society where hatred and violence are all around in full display. A lot of young people who haven’t had much life experience as an adult immediately think that if life doesn’t go the way they want, they think something is wrong with them and think to themselves, “Why me?” They develop a curse God and die mentality. When in reality, that is just how life is. Life was designed to be hard. Every struggle you and I face, depending on your mindset, will ultimately determine what kind of person you are. Are you someone who will do whatever lies in your power and control to live a fulfilling life? Or are you a loser, who never takes chances and wonders why nothing is going on in your life? I’ll be honest, I had a loser mentality for most of my 20s. I am working on it and aspire to one day develop an unwavering positive mindset. But that in and of itself takes work, lots of work.
You can’t just one day wake up and have an epiphany that you found what your purpose is. I have too many friends who think this way. It is often short-lived. There is no YouTube video, no motivational speaker, and no influencer/celebrity who can tell you the secret to success. Ultimately it boils down to what YOU want in life. I’m sick and tired of seeing people that I know personally and love wallow in self-pity when they are more than able to make their own success. Live your life, don’t allow outside influences to live your life for you. There is a punk rock song called “Best for You” by Bad Religion that perfectly sums up what I mean. And it’s true, everybody thinks they know what's best for you.
Stop allowing this stuff to happen. Live your life. Pursue what you want to pursue. Develop skills and interests that will improve yourself. Surround yourself with good people that will push you and help you become your best self. And cut ties with people who tear you down or don’t get you closer to what you ultimately want. Take control of your life. Become like Loki in Marvel who is “burdened with glorious purpose.”
While writing this, I am starting to sound like a motivational speaker haha. I’m like Matt Foley, Chis Farley’s SNL character. Even though I’m 36 years old, I am not divorced and I am not living in a van down by the river eating a steady diet of government cheese. At least not yet. Anyway, this is a recent topic that I am passionate about. I want people to come out on top when they face adversity. Learning nuances in history and culture helps keep me grounded. I can learn from other people’s mistakes or experiences instead of learning the hard way. Thanks again for being here and reading my TED talk. Until next time, take care!
