Robert Greene is the writer of the infamous book the 48 Laws of Power, among others.
One of the most emails he receives regarding his book mastery is how I can find a purpose in my life.
He said that “One of the most important things you can do is finding your life task — Purpose”
I agree! I spent the past four years studying the topic of purpose and finding fulfillment at work.
My life has changed since I created a mission statement and connected it to a purpose. I’ve seen others’ lives transform by doing the same by following my blueprint.
In his book mastery, Robert Green argues that we are all born with a form of inner power or superior intelligence.
We experience a glimpse of it in moments of tension or during a moment of clarity.
“If all of us are born with an essentially similar brain, with more or less the same configuration and potential for mastery, why is it then that in history only a limited number of people seem to truly excel and realize this potential power? Certainly, in a practical sense, this is the most important question for us to answer.”
According to him, realizing this potential power is the same as discovering our “Life Task,” Here are his top ideas to do it.
Idea #1 Re-Connect to Your Childhood
Robert invites people to wear the detective hat and look deep into childhood. I call it finding the “Lost Gems.”
In childhood, we have less conditioning, and our connection to our inner world is more robust.
Idea #2 You’re Born Unique
Nobody ever in the past or the future will have your DNA, experiences, and stories.
Uniqueness is a seed planted at birth, and your job is to nurture that seed.
There is a lot of average in the world, and the best way to distinguish yourself is by becoming authentic.
Find what’s unique about you and connect your stories to create a beautiful cocktail of innate talents and lived experiences.
Idea #3 Desire
Robert wasn’t sure how exactly someone could connect to their purpose as it’s a process of self-discovery. However, he was confident you couldn’t reach this destination unless you had a burning desire for it.
An inner desire to express your uniqueness and love yourself.
Idea #4 Be specific
Be very specific in your explorations. Robert Greene recalled his story when he was fascinated with words as a child. It revealed his relationship with language. Even if he wrote some articles when he was young, he only became a published other at 36.
Go deep into details about your frustration and your inclinations. Find the details and minor signs leading you to the big picture.
Don’t go the other way around. Starting with the big picture
Idea #5 Natural Inclination
There are various forms of intelligence
- Logical-mathematical intelligence. …
- Linguistic intelligence
- Spatial Intelligence. …
- Musical Intelligence. …
- Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence
- Intrapersonal Intelligence
- Interpersonal Intelligence
- Naturalistic intelligence
Find your natural inclination and connect it to what fascinate you. Robert Greene talks about how Steve Jobs was fascinated by the display of cameras and their design when his dad took him to a store in California.
Idea #6 Let Go Of The Past
He calls it the adaptation strategy. Look forward and create your future from the future.
In dealing with your life path, change is inevitable. Don’t stay stuck in the past and adapt your Life Task to the new circumstances. “You do not hold on to past ways of doing things because that will ensure you will fall behind” — Robert Greene.
Life Task is like gold; everything will open up for you if you discover it. Hopefully, you will find this at a younger age.