Reasons People Have for Living

“What on Earth are we here for?”

These are My Thoughts on This Question – But Not My Answers

Feedback Encouraged as This is a Work in Progress

I was leading a class on why do we exist. We were reading and watching content to prompt our pondering. I thought it might be helpful if I tackled this question myself. What follows is what I came up with as options (but my recommendation is not included). While I am no Socrates, I just wanted to try to tackle this question.

The Big 4 Options For What We Believe

  1. Nothing – There is no reason for me to be alive nor anything to believe in
  2. Myself – I believe in myself, my dreams for myself, and I seek to become my best self
  3. My Community/Family/Culture – I believe in what the people I trust around me tell me about why I am here
  4. A Higher Power/God – I believe there is something/someone that has influence on my life beyond myself and the people in my life

These can overlap. For example, I believe there is a God and that God has no real purpose for me on Earth. I believe in what my family taught me which just so happens to be that I have inner worth and value.

These Big 4 Options for What We Believe are separate from the following 10 Reasons for Living because any one of the Big 4 Beliefs could lead to any one of the 10 Reasons for Living. For example, I believe in Myself, so my Happiness is most important. I believe in Myself so my Legacy is most important. Or, I believe in God, so God’s Legacy is most important. I believe in God so Wisdom about God is most important. I believe in Nothing so my Peace of Mind is most important or I believe in Nothing so the more Power I have the more I can get others to believe this.

The 10 Top Reasons for Living (What People Live Their Lives Based On)

  1. Happiness/Pleasure = Physical pleasure, humor and laughter, thrilling experiences
  2. Health/Survival/Safety = To live a long life by doing healthy things that protect them by harm
  3. Honor/Reputation = Seek titles, respect of others, maintain good image
  4. Wealth/Possessions = Money and things that money buys to do whatever want
  5. Wisdom/Learning = Education, growth, listening, understanding, reading
  6. Peace of Mind/Harmony = Whatever happens, happens. Live worry free and get along with others
  7. Power/Authority = Ability to do whatever want because of control over life, others, etc.
  8. People/Friendship/Family = Having people to be in relationship with
  9. Others/Service = Putting others before self, willingness to sacrifice to help others
  10. Outcomes/Legacy/Impact = What is left behind for good after moving on, leaving Earth

Why is love not in my Top 10? Because love in our society can mean many things and can be expressed for many of the 10 ways above

I remember this 10 reasons for living in the following way: HOWP – HOW do I Persevere in life?

3 H’s = Happiness, Honor, and Health

2 O’s = Others and Outcomes

2 W’s = Wealth and Wisdom

3 P’s = Peace, People, and Power

Why do you believe you were placed on Earth and what are your primary reasons for living?

Hopefully, not what Jack Handy suggests…