Finding Purpose

In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna identifies four broad categories of social contribution. See the table below and reflect on your strengths and aspirations, and try to identify what role is most fulfilling to you:

	Brahmana (Educator)	Ksatriya (Executive)	Vaisya (Entrepeneur)	Sudra (Employee)
Activity	Teach	Manage	Supply	Assist
Value added	Knowledge	Protection	Wealth	Stability
Fights	Ignorance	Injustice	Insufficiency	Indolence
Qualities	Self-control, austerity, purity	Heroism, power, fortitude	Farming, cow protection, business	Simplicity, loyalty

Based on this information, try to ascertain your ideal occupation. Here are three tips to help:

Analyse – reflect on your qualities and character, and conduct a personality test. Try to identify the things you are good at, and those things you are attracted to. The intersection between these two aspects certainly indicates integral parts of your dharma.

Ask – draw upon the advice of friends, mentors and coaches. We can’t always analyse ourselves in an objective way, but neutral (and informed) observers can offer greater clarity.

Attempt – try different things, experiment and don’t be afraid to fail. Even when we attempt something and find it’s unsuitable, it helps us to decipher what may well be suitable. We should embrace the growth and wisdom that comes with failure.