Why Are We All Here?

What if I told you the answer?

If I said it was something simple, like "We are here to watch cat videos," you could go ahead and do that. But once you do, what happens next? You would have exhausted your purpose.

If I gave you an answer that was impossible to make progress in, you'd likely end up depressed.

But you won’t believe me if I tell you. You’ll ask “why” and keep asking “why.” And every answer I give will lead to another “why.”

This is where Agrippa's Trilemma comes into play:

Agrippa’s Trilemma presents three issues when justifying knowledge claims:

1. Infinite Regress: Any justification requires another justification. This leads to an endless chain of reasoning that can never end.

2. Circular Reasoning: A belief justifies itself, creating a circular argument.

3. Axiomatic or dogmatic assertion: One may stop the chain of justification arbitrarily with unproven assumptions.

But here’s the truth: you can’t keep asking the same question the same way and expect better answers. That’s insanity.

Take the classic question, “What is the meaning of life?”

I’ve been stuck on that one myself. I realized that it’s the wrong question. The right question is:

“What is your meaning to life?”

People talk about "finding your purpose." But the truth is, you don’t find your purpose—it was never yours to begin with. If it were yours, you'd already know where to find it. If you don’t know where to find it, you’ve lost it. But if you lost it, that means you once had it. And if you once had it, you’d know exactly what it is.

So the answer to "finding your purpose" isn’t to search for it. The answer is to remember it.

But here’s the catch: Whatever you stumble upon in your search is someone else’s purpose. And even if you give it your all, you’ll only ever be second best at it.

This article isn't titled “Creating Second Best Value.”

If you want to be unbeatable at a game, you have to create the game.

Creating Your Purpose

Creating your purpose is a continuous process. You won’t get it right the first time.

Perfection is a myth. What you’re aiming for is continuous refinement, problem-solving, and growth. After all, every solution you find is the starting point for a better problem.

If you don't have money, that’s a problem. But when you solve the money problem, you’ll have to worry about taxes. It’s a new and better problem.

When you're stuck, it's often because you're asking the wrong question. Or you’re asking a good question the wrong way—or to the wrong person.

Figuring Out Your Meaning

Purpose is something you connect to by looking backward, not forward. It’s about reflecting on your experiences, actions, and values—not waiting for the stars to align.

Stop searching for purpose, like it’s some treasure waiting to be discovered. Instead, create it. Refine it. Live it.

Your purpose isn’t a pre-written script. It’s a blank canvas, and your job is to paint it with the value you create. What’s unique about you? What do you care most about? What unique value can you offer the world?

Purpose is the byproduct of those questions—not a destination, but a result of your process.

Purpose and Unique Value: From A Conversation

Q1: What does purpose mean to you personally? Is it something that evolves over time or something we’re born with?

Answer: I’ve struggled with this myself. As a child, I was always bored. I tried to look for things to do—torchlights to unscrew and truths to uncover. I wanted to know everything and impress people with what I knew. I wanted to create things no one else could and to be acknowledged in ways nobody else could.

Purpose can only be created. Anything you discover was created by someone else. You’ll know when you’re aligned once you experience synergy and peace.

Q2: What about unique value? Can everyone create something unique, or are there inherent barriers?

Answer: Yes, everyone can remix things in ways that haven’t been possible before. The more you remix, the more unique things that can be remixed by others. The biggest barrier is the matrix—the systems and beliefs you’re born into.

Unique value is about providing solutions the world needs but doesn’t know how to get. Purpose is the direction. It’s not linear; it’s two-way. You’ll fail, but you’ll keep experimenting, navigating, and trying again. It’s difficult because you’re creating something that didn't exist before. The feedback you get from reality reinforces your purpose. guides you toward creating value.

Q3: How do you know when you’ve found your purpose? Does it end other struggles like distraction or lack of motivation?

Answer: Once you know your purpose, you’ll have clarity. And once you have clarity, you won’t have problems with motivation. You won’t experience mood swings, distractions, or cheap dopamine. You’ll be locked in.

Create your purpose by connecting, observing, discovering, imagining, and creating things. Follow that order.

Q4: What about when someone feels lost or overwhelmed? How can they start finding clarity?

Answer: They’re stepping stones. The more you keep going, the clearer and stronger your purpose becomes. Overwhelm comes from too many options and a lack of priorities. Sadness is the perception of lacking options.

The solution to overwhelm is to prioritize what matters most. The solution to sadness is realizing that options are available. Your option is to find those options.

Q5: Synergy and peace as markers of alignment are powerful ideas. Do you think most people avoid creating their purpose because the process disrupts peace at first before it yields it?

Answer: It’s your amygdala at work. But comfort isn’t peace. You’ll realize comfort is uncomfortable. Peace isn’t about feeling comfortable—it’s about confronting discomfort and persevering.

Q6: Can you expand on your idea of remixing? Is it enough to remix ideas, or does it risk being derivative?

Answer: Remixing has to be intentional. If you remix things carelessly, you’ll create chaos and be too derivative. Instead, make creative guesses and pair things that go well together.

Q7: How does someone break free from systems or beliefs that hold them back?

Answer: By becoming a skeptic. Understand that many of your beliefs may not be true, and strive to seek the truth.

Q8: You mention failure being part of the process. Do you see failure as a signal, a tool, or a stepping stone? How should people reframe failure to make it less paralyzing?

Answer: "Greatness rejects all first-time applicants." — Alex Hormozi.

Q9: When you’re navigating and experimenting, do you have any rituals, mental frameworks, or habits that help you identify which feedback is valuable and which is noise?

Answer: The good shit sticks.

Q10: What would you say to someone who says they lack motivation?

Answer: You don’t have a motivation problem; you have a clarity problem. "If you knew with certainty that doing X would guarantee your number one goal in life, would you have a problem motivating yourself?"

Q11: How do you keep your momentum going once you’ve started?

Answer: Renew your mind, gain clarity, track progress, journal, and adjust towards your north star.

Q12: Can you share a personal example of creating something unique?

Answer: I have so many, but this is one random example. In high school, I began developing a blockchain and studied Satoshi Nakamoto's original paper. This was during the weekend.

When school resumed on Monday, my English teacher came in and asked us to submit our assignments immediately. I hadn’t done it, so I asked my classmate beside me to open his so I could copy. Before you know it, I came across a multiplication he wrote at the back of his English notebook, and I played around with it and created something. I realized a pattern whenever you multiply a number twice. I then and there used it to create a method of cryptography. (Cryptography is what cybersecurity people use to protect your online information from attackers.).

When I got home, I wrote some code to implement it, and voila, very fast and impressive. I showed it to some top cryptography experts. It felt so cool. I had connected, observed, discovered, imagined, and created something unique. From my own set of experiences. You can trace that moment to several things that had happened to me. No one else in the world had created the algorithm before. It works for anyone who is willing to seek truth.

Q13: How does someone figure out what matters most to them?

Answer: Study what would hurt the most if it were taken from you. Step back. Do something else. The answer often comes when you least expect it.

Q14: How do you leave comfort behind without it feeling overwhelming?

Answer: Leaving comfort must excite you. The more difficult it is, the more worthwhile it will be. You get happier the harder it gets because no one else will follow you, more for you.

Q15: What’s the role of truth in creativity and purpose?

Answer: Truth is the foundation of creativity. It’s about seeking truth. Once you find a truth that the world doesn’t yet know, you create something new.

Q16: Is there a balance between curiosity and confidence?

Answer: Curiosity and confidence aren’t opposing forces. Balance is about equalizing opposite forces, and those two aren't opposing each other. Embrace both traits as part of your creative process.

Q17: What does truth-seeking look like in practice for you?

Answer: Truth-seeking is about asking questions and being certain in the answers you discover. Look into the future you want, then come back into the present to see what’s missing. Work on building it.

Q18: Why do you think most people avoid seeking truth?

Answer: People are comfortable in the illusions they’ve created for themselves. They’re afraid of what they might lose.

Final Note

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

Join my newsletter: https://crive.substack.com

Big love,

Praise J.J.