Finding Your Purpose

Purpose is found in steps. Experimenting and having fun with that experimentation is instrumental in finding what speaks to you. Reflect if something works or doesn't work and continue experimenting. Don't stop experimenting! And don't let yourself stop having fun doing so.

Don't hold on to the past. Finding purpose is about finding what speaks to you now, not what used to speak to you.

Your purpose is about you. Finding your purpose is often met with ridicule or misunderstanding from others, I know that mine definitely has been. I was business-minded since I was born and when I told my family that I wanted to be a therapist they all said I would suck at it and discouraged me from pursuing it. Well, the joke is on them! Other people don't need to understand. If you want to find your purpose, you have to learn to pursue what you want, even if it doesn't make sense to others.

Don't put yourself in a box. We are told to identify as something and stick to it throughout our life whether it be a career, a title, an interest, or anything else. You have the right to change your identity whenever you want. It's your identity. If you want to be something different, then do it! Only you choose whether or not you force yourself into a cramped box or a spacious, ever-expanding box.

Finding your purpose is like walking in the dark. You don't know where following your passions and interests will lead, nobody does! Finding your purpose consists of taking a lot of small steps in the dark and hoping it leads somewhere great instead of falling into a never ending abyss, which I have definitely felt like at times. What I've found to be helpful when I'm seriously contemplating my life choices and whether or not I regret them is to ask myself if I'm happy with what I'm doing in my life. If you care about the things you spend your time on, you're on the right path for you.

Learn from everything. The skills that you gain throughout your life will help you find and fulfill your purpose. You can learn from anything and everything. And should.

Purpose is using your passion in the service of others. Do it for others because you love what you do, because you're passionate about it, not because you expect anything in return. You perform your purpose for you, not for others, it's intrinsically motivated. Don't get lost in needing reciprocation from others and negate your purpose as a result. If you love cooking, cook for others. If you love planning, plan for others. Your purpose will follow your passion, find your passion and start doing it for others.

Your purpose invigorates and energizes you. If something drains you, it's unlikely that it's aligned with your purpose. If you're not invigorated by what you do, it's time to move on to something else.

You're already very successful at something. Find what you excel at but may have stopped valuing just because it comes easy for you. Ask the people closest to you questions about it, they see in you what you don't see in yourself. Here are some examples:

Turn jealousy into study. If you want something that someone has, learn from them. Study them and learn how they did it and start to implement the things you learn that speak to you.

Pursue your goal of finding your purpose even when it isn't easy. You've achieved past goals, you can achieve this one as well. We tend to get used to things very quickly and forget what it took to get there but yesterday's goals are today's mundanity. "Where you are today is what you wanted yesterday." Remember your successes and use that as a drive to pursue what you will find most meaningful, your current purpose.

Your purpose will change over time, so just concentrate on the present. If your purpose has moved on, so should you.

Be intentional. Ask yourself why you do the things that you do. If you aren't doing it because you intrinsically love it, then do something else. If you are to find your purpose, you need to be very intentional.