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The concept of life’s ultimate goal is a critical one to the decision maker. If this concept governs each decision one makes, a thorough understanding of the concept and of possible ultimate goals is absolutely necessary for proper decisions. Each individual has adopted an ultimate goal; a purpose for his existence. Keep in mind, things with no perceived purpose are eventually discarded. The discouragement and despair one feels when he falsely believes he has no purpose can be crippling.
What are the possible alternative ultimate goals? Again, we are not speaking here of superficial, surface goals, or even an expressed goal for an activity. We are concerned with the ultimate “why.” Why do we strive after the things we do? Or not? Why do we set the priorities we do? Why do we make the choices we do? Some possible ultimate goals may come to mind: Having a family, making money, being educated, becoming important, even survival. None of these, however, can legitimately qualify as an ultimate goal. For what purpose would the money be used? What is the underlying motivation for obtaining an education or for becoming important? Why does one have a family? Why does one choose to survive? Someone may present the underlying goal of security as the foundational goal of those already mentioned. Although security may be considered a first tier goal, it is not an ultimate goal. For what purpose does one choose security?
When one thoroughly examines human goals to determine what choices there are for an ultimate goal, if he is intellectually honest, he will find all human goals resolve themselves into just two ultimate possibilities. You are invited to honestly examine any human goal you can imagine and test the truth of this precept. Intellectual honesty, incidentally, is determined by one’s choice of ultimate goal. A person can choose either: 1) to live for himself, regardless of the cost to others (this goal will be referred to as “self-gratification”); or 2) to live for the benefit of others, regardless of the cost to himself (this goal will be referred to as “benefiting others”). One’s ultimate goal for making money, having a family or being educated is either to gratify himself or to benefit others. One’s decision with regard to security will be to further his own purposes or to benefit others. The choice of ultimate goal is based upon its perceived value. However, the perception may be incorrect.
One who lives for himself lives to gratify or fulfill his desires or wants, and his decisions are ultimately based on his self interest alone. On the other hand, one who lives to benefit others lives to do what is best for all regardless of how he feels, and the basis of his decisions is truth. Living for the benefit of others does not mean living to please others, and such a goal may not please others unless they have the same ultimate goal. Living for self-gratification entails living for one’s wants and desires, being self-indulgent, and weighing the consequences and benefits to self when making decisions. One living for the benefit of others is mindful of the benefits and consequences to others while making decisions. His choice will be founded on the consideration of that which actually benefits all concerned, regardless of the cost to himself.
It is important at this juncture to distinguish between choosing to live for the benefit of others, that is deciding to live for the benefit of others, and just desiring to live for the benefit of others. One may desire to live for the benefit of others without ever actually making a decision to do so. One is only gratifying a desire whenever he is benevolent because he wants to be benevolent or because it “feels good” to be benevolent. One may want to convince himself that he is living for others ~ and many times does ~ to avoid feeling guilty about being selfish. This, too, is a form of self-gratification. The person who actually decides to live for the benefit of others will know the integrity of his decision when the time comes (and it always does) for such a goal to cost him dearly. At such a point the one only desiring to live for others continues his self-gratification and avoids the cost, while the truly benevolent person pays the price regardless of how dear.
These two possible ultimate goals are mutually exclusive. One cannot have both ultimate goals at the same time. He could not choose to gratify himself and benefit others regardless of the cost to himself simultaneously. He may shift goals and alternate between them; however, this behavior is unlikely because the longer he maintains one goal the more difficult it becomes to shift back to the other. Usually a perceived shift is nothing more than an attempt by a person to appear to act correctly to gratify his desire to be accepted or his desire to avoid feeling guilty ~ or both.
With regard to gratifying desires one may think in terms of “good’ desires and “bad” desires. However, a desire by itself is neither good nor bad. The object of the desire may be right or wrong, but the desire is neutral. How often does one have the desire to do something that he has no question is wrong? Even if this occurred only once, how could he be condemned for an involuntary desire? The critical point is what one does with the desire. Does he gratify it if he is able, or become frustrated if he is not able to gratify the desire? Or does he examine the object of the desire and determine with reason and evidence the best course of action? The first type of person is self-gratifying one, regardless of how “good” or “bad” the object of the desire is. The latter person is living for the good of others and makes the proper decision without regard to his desires or feelings. He may still end up doing that which he desires, not because of his desires, but because it is reasonable. A person may condemn himself for desires caused by outside influences (involuntary) which he resists. Another person may indulge in gratifying desires he believes to be “good” without any qualms. Sadly, neither one understands his life goal. This leads to frustration and despair.
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