How To Find Your Purpose

Overview

This episode explores the concept of purpose, challenging conventional ideas about finding it and emphasizing the importance of recognizing and living purpose in the present moment. The hosts, Joe Hudson and Brett Kistler, share personal stories and insights on how purpose evolves, how it can be misinterpreted, and how fear and effortlessness play roles in aligning with one's true purpose.

Notable Quotes

- The question itself assumes that you are a dog that can't bark. How do I bark? It's like, we're born with this thing. – Joe Hudson, on the inherent nature of purpose.

- If you're looking for your purpose from the perspective of what is gonna get me approval, you're never gonna get the approval or the purpose. – Brett Kistler, on the dangers of seeking external validation.

- I don't know any purpose that I've ever lived in that doesn't crack me open in some way, that doesn't challenge me to be beyond myself. – Joe Hudson, on the transformative nature of purpose.

🧭 The Myth of Finding Purpose

- Joe Hudson explains that the act of searching for purpose often assumes it is missing, which can create unnecessary friction. Purpose is not something external to be found but something internal to be acknowledged.

- Purpose is often misunderstood as a specific career or activity, but Brett Kistler highlights that it is more about how one approaches life and experiences.

- The hosts discuss how purpose is an emergent property of being, rather than a fixed object or goal.

🌟 Purpose as Recognition, Not Approval

- Many people confuse purpose with external validation, seeking acknowledgment from others rather than recognizing their own alignment.

- Joe Hudson recounts a pivotal moment when a stranger's message helped him acknowledge his purpose, emphasizing the importance of internal clarity over external approval.

- Purpose often requires overcoming fear and stepping into challenges, which can feel scary but deeply rewarding.

💡 Effortlessness and Alignment

- Purpose begins with effort and fear but eventually transitions into a state of ease and flow. Joe Hudson describes monitoring the ease in his system as a way to gauge alignment with his purpose.

- Brett Kistler contrasts the grind of misaligned effort with the vivaciousness and aliveness that come from living one's purpose authentically.

🎭 The Evolution of Purpose

- Purpose is not static; it evolves over time. Joe Hudson reflects on how his purpose has shifted across different phases of his life, from music to business to helping others see themselves clearly.

- The journey itself is infused with purpose, and attempts to shortcut the process often lead to frustration.

- Brett Kistler notes that purpose can refine itself through moments of resistance and friction, which serve as opportunities for deeper exploration.

🌀 Living Purposefully vs. Fooling Yourself

- The hosts discuss how some people may claim to live their purpose while grinding against the grain of their lives. True purpose feels effortless and non-personal, rather than neurotic or forced.

- Joe Hudson emphasizes surrendering to purpose and allowing it to live through you, rather than trying to control or define it rigidly.

- Purpose is unassailable when it is authentic—great artists, for example, create for themselves rather than for external validation.