Life & Purpose

Do you know your life's purpose?

This question was posed to me while reading, and I found it tough to answer. Many people believe that this question requires a precise answer. For me, the answer to this question depends on the moment it's asked. With many factors to consider, my response to the query is as fluid as water.

As a child, I dreamed of growing up and working with computers. One day, I noticed a system discarded in the trash and took it home for repairs. Getting the machine working again bolstered my determination because it confirmed that I was capable. From that moment forward, I started helping family and friends with their devices.

My experiences mainly involved problems with running applications until I started high school. I enrolled in some programming classes that my school offered and found the material interesting. My interest led to me learning much faster than the rest of my classmates, which became problematic. I went on to learn two programming languages but would avoid the subject because I found the pace of learning to be sluggish.

Four years later, I crossed paths with a computer job that I found to be ideal. My lack of a driver's license turned out to be the disqualifying factor. Undeterred, I didn't give up and used tuition assistance to pursue a computer science degree with my employer paying for the classes. I was disappointed with myself for not completing my degree before leaving this position.

During my transition to a new company, I learned about tuition reimbursement. Some employers reimburse employees for college courses taken towards degrees that expand the skills needed for their position. Using my previous disappointment as motivation, I picked up the pace and finished my graduation requirements. The happiness from this achievement would be shortlived.

I was left feeling conflicted about how I wanted to use my skills and what my next steps would be. I decided to use the skills that I acquired to enhance my life at work and at home. I then realized that the many answers that I previously had about my life's purpose had similarities and posed the question again.

What do I think the purpose of my life is?

To show that there is more to life than how others define or perceive it.