Still searching for your “purpose”? Read this.
Not sure what you’re meant to do in this life? The Gita has some refreshing (and slightly uncomfortable) thoughts on why you can stop stressing about it so much.
You know what’s exhausting? Feeling like you’re supposed to have a “purpose.”
Everyone’s out here saying they “found their why” or “aligned their career with their soul” and I’m just... trying to pick what cereal to buy.
Some days I think my purpose is to write. Some days it’s to help others. Some days it’s to binge eight episodes of a cooking show and contemplate nothing.
And then there’s that voice: If you don’t know your purpose, you’re wasting your life.
Which, of course, leads to more spiraling. More books. More podcasts. More journaling. More feeling stuck.
So this week, after yet another “10 questions to find your life’s purpose” YouTube rabbit hole... I went back to the Gita.
Gita Verse of the Week
And Krishna (as always) had a take I wasn’t expecting:
"चातुर्-वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुण-कर्म-विभागशः।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम्॥"
"cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ,
tasya kartāram api māṁ viddhy akartāram avyayam."
(Gita 4.13)
Literal translation:
The fourfold order of society was created by Me according to qualities (guṇa) and work (karma). Though I am its creator, know Me as the non-doer, unchanging.
Modern Interpretation (Break It Down Krishna-Style)
Okay, first: don’t get tripped up by the “fourfold order” part. Krishna isn’t prescribing caste or hierarchy here — he’s pointing to something deeper:
Your role in life isn’t about finding some mystical, pre-written “purpose.” It arises from two things:
Your qualities. Your actions.
In other words: how you’re wired + how you choose to engage with the world.
It’s not about what sounds cool or what will make you look enlightened. It’s about being honest about your strengths, tendencies, and where you naturally bring value. And then showing up and doing that work with care.
Purpose is not something you meditate on and magically discover. It’s something that emerges as you live, as you experiment, as you contribute.
And the kicker? Even Krishna, the cosmic CEO, says: Though I created this order, I remain the non-doer.
Which is a very gentle way of saying: don’t get attached to your role. Play it with sincerity, but remember that your essence is beyond any label or job title.
So maybe this pressure to “find my purpose” is a bit misguided. Maybe it’s more about noticing how I’m uniquely built, bringing that to what I do, and not gripping it too tightly.
(And yes, maybe also about picking the cereal with the least guilt this week.)
Weekly Dharma Nudge
If you’re stuck in purpose-anxiety this week:
- Notice when you’re chasing an identity vs. doing meaningful action.
- List 3 qualities you naturally embody (curious, calm, organized, creative, whatever).
- Ask a friend where they see you adding value. You’ll be surprised what they reflect back.
- Journal: “Where am I already living purposefully, without even realizing it?”
Gita Drop of the Week
Purpose isn’t found. It’s lived — through your qualities and actions.
Shloka Remix
OG: Your role arises from your nature and actions. Don’t cling.
Gen Z remix: Be you. Do stuff. Stay chill about the rest.
No cosmic roadmap required. Just show up. Be honest about who you are. Do what feels aligned. Adjust as needed.
The rest? Not your job to control. Krishna’s got it.
✍️ You + Krishna + Just Enough Sarcasm
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➡️ Krishna’s still relevant, and so is this essay. Go read.
Sage No. 404