Mission Driven Life
Do you have a mission driven life or a jellyfish life?
I remember early in 2013, I went to an aquarium in the Los Angeles area. It was a really cool place. There were fish, starfish, sharks, turtles, crabs, etc. But the most interesting creature there, to me, was the jellyfish.

The jellyfish were housed in a circular tank, which caught my attention. I asked an Attending Researcher why the jellyfish tank was shaped different from the others, which sparked a great discussion between us. Here is a brief summary of what I learned that day.
Jellyfish have no brains.
In fact, the opening and closing of their bell is just an instinctive response to movement around them in order to increase its chances of finding food. They literally are at the mercy of the waves of the sea for where they travel. In captivity jellyfish have to be put into round aquariums, because if kept in a regular boxy tank they will get trapped in one of the corners and die — rubbing its fragile tissue to the point of disintegration on the walls.
I walked away from this conversation with much contemplation about these brainless creatures.
The jellyfish are basically dependent on the directions of the waves of the sea, and it's only contribution to it's own movement is merely an instinctive response to increase its survival. I could not help but think of the parallels of the lives of these jellyfish and the way some people live their lives.

We have all met people who live their lives like these jellyfish.
They are tossed to and fro by the emotional waves of any given situation, extremely dependent on external forces for their happiness and security. They simply respond to their instinctive drives in an aimless direction, in hopes to increase their chances to get through the week to the next weekend.
They demand a “specialized aquarium” because they don’t know how to problem solve their way out of the tough corners of life, or they don’t recognize what they have been doing over and over to keep themselves in the same corner. Against their best judgment, they don’t make any adjustments to improve their situation, but point fingers blaming others or God for their plight.
We as humans were meant and designed for so much more then living like jellyfish. That’s why when we live like a jellyfish, we feel so empty, depressed, and lack meaningful direction in our lives.
Victor Frankl wrote in the epilogue of the 1998 edition of Man’s Search for Meaning “Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement it.”
Individuals that do not know or live true to their mission in life go this way and that way without purpose or direction. They do not know what to say yes to and they definitely don’t know what to say no to in order to fulfill their mission.
You see, knowing your mission gives you direction, and provides you with priorities and values. That is an empowering way to live.
Well you might be thinking, well John, that sounds great but how do I do that?
Go out into nature find a quit place where you will not be interrupted. Away from the distracting things of life. As you do this ponder and ask questions:
- What am I meant to do that no one else can?
- What am to do next in my life?
- What is my specific task?
- What is my life's purpose?
As answers come write them down — because you will get answers. As you invest the time, it will become clearer and clearer to you. In fact, I would guess answers have already been sent to you, but you most likely were discounting it or talking yourself out of it, or simply didn’t capture it by writing it down.
So I invite you to discover and uncover your given mission in life; find meaning and direction by doing the above exercise this week. Make it a priority, and make yourself a priority by giving your life meaningful direction.