Discovering your purpose or the “why” that guides your life is important because it helps give your life clarity and direction. It is a deeply personal journey and is about aligning your life with what truly matters to you and creating a life that reflects your deepest values and aspirations.
It isn’t a quick process, but the information below can help you get started.
Listen to your life and answer the following questions:
- If money were not an issue, what would I do with my time?
- What do I love to do?
- What gives me energy?
- What drains the life out of me?
- What do I want to change, shape and leave better than I found it?
- What segment of the population am I drawn to help?
- What are my gifts and talents?
- When I retire, what will I have hoped to accomplish?
Reflect on your life experiences.
Look back on your life, and identify the moments where you felt more fulfilled and alive. These moments can provide important insight into your purpose.
Ask trusted friends and colleagues for feedback.
Let them know that you are working on your purpose and would like their candid feedback. Ask questions like:
- What shows up when I do?
- What qualities do I bring to a room?
- What do you think are my gifts and talents?
- What is your advice on where I could improve?
Identify your core values.
Core values are those things that are most important to you in guiding your life. So, how do you know what they are? Here is a list of potential core values to consider:
- Personal growth
- Religion/Spirituality
- Achievement of goals/Recognition/Rewards
- Caring for others
- Integrity
- Good health
- Relationships
- Wealth
- Trust
- Wisdom
- Tradition
- Status
- Sobriety
- Simplicity
- Safety – Freedom from risk or danger
- Resourcefulness
- Dependability
- Success
- Influence over people, places, things
- Perfection
- Peace/Tranquility
- Loyalty
- Knowledge
- Generosity
- Independence
- Honesty
- Harmony
- Fun
- Freedom
- Financial well-being
- Family
- Respect
- Fairness
- Discipline
- Decisiveness
- Creativity
- Courage
- Compassion
- Communication
- Commitment
- Learning
- Personal development
- Humility
- Beauty
- Service to others
- Adventure
Pick the values that most resonate with you, and narrow them down to about five.
Practice Mindfulness and Meditation.
Engaging in mindfulness and meditation can help you connect with your inner self and provide some clarity and insight into what matters most to you.
As an example, my purpose is “helping others to meet their God-given potential,” and I have been using it as a compass in my work and in how I live my life. Finding your purpose is really about how to align how you live your life with your deepest values and passions to make it most meaningful.
