Mecca Brings Purpose: A Journey to the Heart of Meaning

This June more than 2 million Muslims will travel for the annual 5 day pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
This is the biggest yearly gathering of humans on earth.
For Muslims to be at the Grand Mosque over this period is the most important moment of their spiritual lives.
According to Islamic faith every Muslim has to make this holy journey before they die.
Some will save their entire lives to make it to Mecca once and others even walk hundreds of kilometers through the desert to see the Kaaba.

What is it really about?
The pilgrimage (one of the five pillars of Islam according to the Qur’an) for Muslims serves as atonement and fulfills in worshiping and obeying their One True Almighty God.
It is part of their faith, their spiritual journey and gives purpose for being here to serve.

Many other spiritual followings, religions even achievements have PURPOSE as the core belief or foundation.

What is your purpose?

Finding purpose is the single most important need for humans to be content.
Modern physiology lead by Maslow stated the importance you put in finding self-actualization.
Many other theories and beliefs are formed around his findings.

Victor Frankl’s famous book, Man’s Search for Meaning, details his personal experiences in a WW2 concentration camp.
He observed that fellow prisoners most likely to survive were ones who had a goal or purpose.
For him it was time to reconstruct his own book whilst for others it was about their future after the war – loved one, dreams, the future…
People who have purpose seem to get up in the morning having direction.
They seem to be happier, less stressful, more self confident to achieve their goals and have an increased level of hope in their lives and beliefs.
All of which increases their ability to succeed, survive and recover in life.

What do you draw your strength from?
How do you connect daily with your purpose?

Spend your life on things that will outlast you!

Please don’t just live but live for something.
Malcolm X said “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything”.

What do you stand for?

If you don’t have answers yet, don’t delay.
Prioritize this by speaking to someone and defining that purpose to be the best version of yourself.

As published in leading business journal ASA in September 2015.