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Purpose

In: The Brand Strategist’s Guide to Desire

Author

Listed:
  • Anna Simpson

Abstract

The desire for purpose is a creative impulse: through our will and our imagination, we take the things we do and say and give them meaning. Like an artist making a beautiful mosaic out of chips of broken pottery, we imagine what we’d like our days to add up to, and begin to structure them to that end. Why we do this, and whether or not we need to, has kept many a philosophers’ café buzzing with debate. People do many things without purpose and, as we saw in Chapter Two, there can be lots to gain from motiveless adventure. They set off without any particular aim to pursue: they simply enjoy being on the road, the changing scenery and the potential to grow as a person thanks to the many unexpected outcomes of their openness to the world. If there are such rewards in approaching life without a particular aim in mind, why impose one, deciding how the story should end before you begin? In what way does a purpose enhance a life? The answer will always be particular to a person: their values, sociocultural context and, for many, their spiritual beliefs – but here are some general observations.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Simpson, 2014. "Purpose," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: The Brand Strategist’s Guide to Desire, chapter 0, pages 136-168, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-137-35182-1_6
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137351821_6
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