The Golden Path is described in Frank Herbert's Dune. An expansive, prescient interpretation of the fluid events of the future, both great and small. More profoundly, however, it revealed an optimum path through the countless threads of cause and effect that were encountered by the human race.
I also like to contrast the idea of the Golden Path with the Japanese philosophy known as Ikigai. Ikigai can be described having a sense of purpose in life as well as being motivated. According to a study by Michiko Kumano, feeling ikigai, as described in Japanese, usually means the feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment that follows when people pursue their passions.
The Golden Path is a daunting road in the Dune series and fills most characters with an intense feeling of dread and soberness, despite their commitment to it.
Contrastingly, the idea of Ikigai often sounds too good to be true.
With most things, the pendulum swings from extreme to extreme, leaving the truth in between.
I believe that everyone was put on this earth for a unique purpose. Each of us has an ikigai and a golden path, and it is our job in life to get as close to it as possible, if not find it completely. Whether or not you believe in a creator, it is like someone puts you on Earth and says to you as if to a child on Easter morning: I have a hidden gift for you; it is your job to seek and find it.
There are not many people who have found their ultimate purpose; most people are only ever in pursuit of it. This should not be discouraging; however, I have only recently caught a glimpse of my path, and it has been some of the best times of my life so far. If my life were cut short now, the time spent pursuing this path would have been far more enjoyable than all the time spent not in line with my purpose.
Unfortunately, however, I am not convinced that you come to be aware of your path by living a life of comfort, it seems to be that the greater the hardship the more potential for growth and the more comfort, the more stagnation.
Think of the protagonist Paul Atreides, in Frank Herberts Dune. his family sent to a desolate planet where his father is quckily assassinated and he and his mother are stranded in the desert. only after this point does he begin his journey and purpose in life, his golden path.
Or consider the Israelites as they had to journey through the desert for 40 yards before entering the promised land.
I mentioned before that I have recently caught a glimpse of my path and I believe it is also after having lost both parents and have recently been fired, read What is luck for more about that.
For anyone who finds themselves living a life of comfort, that’s a good thing, but it does not produce strength which means it may be time to introduce some self induced suffering, to create your own desert. If there is anything that you mentally don’t want to do, do that. read this to understand why. or just do something that is suffering in the moment for long term benefits, like, Cold Plunge, Sauna, Running, Weightlifting, fasting, etc, or take risk through a business venture, anything that throws you into a state of struggle will accelerate the emergence of your ikigai.
The only failure in life is to give up on yourself entirely or to settle for less than what you are capable of. Falling short of the world standards doesn’t matter as long as you are pushing yourself to the degree that is appropriate for the day.
Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
My encouragement to you is to never settle for someone else’s plan for your life, if you do so you are robbing the world of your potential and missing out on the greatest journey of your life.
Read more about this idea and more like it here.