Dan Millman is the author of 17 books read by millions of people in 29 languages. He teaches worldwide to men and women from all walks of life, including leaders in the fields of health, psychology, education, business, politics, sports, entertainment, and the arts.
Millman quotes Leo Rosten who once said: "I think the purpose of life is, above all, to matter; to count; to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all." The author has identified the four main purposes of life and he explains them all in detail.
The first is learning life's lessons. Millman sees the universe as "a perfect school, and daily life is the classroom." We grow through stretching and challenges. The specific curriculum in daily life includes subjects on self-worth, discipline, well-being, money, mind, intuition, emotions, courage, knowledge, sexuality, love, and service. This curriculum tutors us in wisdom and meaning.
The second purpose consists in finding your career and calling. For the lucky few, career and calling go together like a horse and carriage. For most people, the two are separate: one for income and one for inner fulfillment. Work has meaning when it involves satisfying labor, making a good income, and providing a useful service.
The third purpose is discovering your path as you make your way towards "the peaks of your potential." Here Millman suggests you determine your "birth number" by a visit to his website, www.peacefulwarrior.com, as a key to your path.
The fourth purpose is paying attention to this arising moment. Most religious or spiritual traditions offer plenty of guidance on this universal spiritual practice. He emphasizes that this is a practice that calls forth all you have learned on your spiritual journey.
