Roadblocks to Purpose.

Rav Kook describes three roadblocks to purpose: 

They are:

1 - Betraying your essential self by listening to external voices outside/inside of you. 

2 - Getting lost in outcomes and losing touch with what’s important along the way. 

3 - Comparing yourself to others and confusing your worth with honor and social recognition. . 

Rav Kook teaches us that on the other side of these roadblocks is the spirit of who we are. The inneffable essence within us that calls out demanding it’s way.

If we listen to that voice, Rav Kook says, we set ourselves on a pathway to purpose, joy, and fulfillment. If we don’t, we wake up one day unhappy, restless, burnt out, and wanting more. In short - it’s not cliche to say we need to keep it real. It’s essential for our wellbeing to cultivate who we are. 

When he wrote this, Rav Kook could not have predicted that there would be such a thing as Linked-in, Instagram, Facebook, or Tiktok. That we would be able to spend a third of our day watching other peoples lives as they present them on the outside. 

His words are more relevant now than ever.

Every time that we open social media we are exposing ourselves to one of these roadblocks. 

That doesn’t mean we can’t be here, but we need to be aware of it. We have to be careful that we don’t define ourselves and make decisions solely according to the metrics of others. We need to ensure that we are in touch with our process and not racing towards the unknown finish line, or someone elses outcome. We must recognize that our worth is deeper than our titles and posts. Now more than ever, we need to work to discover our own voice, and pave our own path.