What’s the Point?

Earth’s atmosphere contains around 21% oxygen. But that wasn’t the case 2.5 billion years ago, when there was hardly any oxygen in the air. That is when tiny microorganisms called Cyanobacteria entered the stage of life. These are the first known organisms to have produced oxygen through photosynthesis.

Consider a thought experiment—suppose you existed as this tiny creature, 2.5 billion years ago. Maybe you lived for a few days. At your deathbed, your (hypothetical) mind might have wondered – “What was the use of this life? I existed for an inconsequential period of time, and now I am dying. Absolutely nothing has changed in the world because of me.” What you couldn’t have possibly known at the time is that every single breath you took was a gift for countless forms of life that would exist billions of years after your death.

When trying to work towards a higher purpose, we might also hit a similar existential crisis – “What’s the point? How can my tiny actions contribute to anything significant?” At such times, remember that the impact of your actions, for the most part, is beyond the scope of your current understanding. And sometimes, beyond the scope of your lifetime as well. 

Act as if you are merely a tiny medium being used to accomplish an infinitely grander plan. This realisation is the key to becoming a Karma Yogi.

If that sounds challenging, then simply take inspiration from cyanobacteria. Oh, and Nike too.

Just do it.