Read time 3 minutes. Exploring the simplicity that accompanies the purpose-driven life.
Arnold Schwarzenegger once described how his career began with a simple, uncompromising purpose: to win Mr. Universe, then build from there into celebrity. That clarity gave him parameters. He no longer had to question whether to get to the gym. He became, in his own words, a machine. Purpose cut away the noise of hesitation.
Zen training, though entirely different in its aim, shares something of this logic. Physical training promises strength and stamina; Zen practice promises freedom and peace. In both, purpose is not just a guiding light but the very structure that allows us to move without constant debate.
The purpose in Zen’s purpose-driven life
There’s an old saying: the truth will set you free. Zen puts it differently: truth doesn’t simply set you free—it inspires you onto a path where freedom can deepen. Regular exercise gradually transforms the body; regular practice gradually transforms the mind.
Some philosophers suggest the purpose of life is for consciousness to become aware of itself. Through that lens, each of us is a portal for awakening. With this clarity, all our tangled problems collapse into a single root problem—forgetting our true nature—and a single solution—remembering it.
This is the purpose that Zen offers: a life oriented toward what is real. Each morning, the commitment can be clear. Not “What do I need to get done today?” but “I am seeing past illusion. I am returning to my true nature. I am awakening.” Purpose reveals itself not through what we add, but through what we let fall away. Who we are comes into view by seeing who we are not.
Taking command, then letting go
So what does it mean to live this way? A purpose-driven life in Zen may begin, like Schwarzenegger’s, with a clear vision. But once glimpsed, that vision belongs in the back pocket. Its role is not to be obsessed over but to inspire trust in the practice itself.
Once commitment ripens, something shifts. The mind’s constant chatter—its worrying, its questioning—loses its authority. Instead of finding value in obsessive thought, we find value in showing up to practice. Clarity replaces contending. Simplicity replaces second-guessing.
This is not passive. It is not avoidance. It is the freedom of allowing. Problems untangle not because we force them to, but because the space of practice reveals their true scale. In that space, solutions rise on their own.
The purpose-driven life of Zen is not about conquest, achievement, or accumulation. It is about discipline in service of letting go. It is a life less cluttered with thought, less driven by conflict, more attuned to what unfolds naturally. What awaits is a life of clearness, simplicity, and genuine freedom.
Explore more:
Going forward, our goal and purpose for each day should be to increasingly see past illusion and discover our true nature. However, for some of us this might be more easily said than done. The end of this article on Calm.com offers 14 tips that may be beneficial tools and reminders to help us to stay on this path.
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