Finding Your Purpose – 12 Tips On How To Find Your Purpose And Unlock Your Best Life
Most people desire, among other things, to find meaning in their lives. Whether or not we realize it. Even though it sounds lovely, achieving it can seem difficult.
If you haven’t given your purpose much thought, you might have preconceived notions about what life is all about.
Our upbringing frequently shapes these preconceived notions about life in our families and communities. Our lives are meant to be married and to raise children. Or perhaps it’s achieving a certain financial goal or standing in society.
However, these kinds of successes frequently don’t result in the fulfilment that comes from discovering your unique sense of purpose. A personal sense of purpose is more of an ongoing influence on the world, big or small, than a specific end goal. Your why is your purpose.
Your sense of purpose serves as both a compass and a foundation through the years and daily. Purpose provides stability and a sense of direction even when things go wrong and the world seems to be turned upside down. Because of this, finding purpose is crucial to leading a happy, fulfilling life.
Even though it may seem lofty, it’s important to ask yourself what your purpose is. in an effort to respond. Greater happiness and success in all facets of your life can be attained by discovering your purpose.
So let’s dive into the big questions: purpose in life, why it matters, and 12 steps to finding your purpose.
What Is The Purpose Of Life?
“The purpose of life” is a topic philosophers have explored and debated for centuries. We won’t attempt to respond to that here. Your life’s purpose is important.
Most people eventually ponder the question, “Why am I here? ” It can be an exciting or terrifying question. Embracing the unsettling nature of this existential query can result in a stronger sense of self and more fruitful future directions.
Your life’s work is as distinctive to you as your fingerprint. Each of us has a unique set of abilities, life experiences, skill sets, and interests that excite us.
Although it is connected to these, purpose makes you who you are.
Even though the day is gloomy, you’re exhausted, and you know the tasks and challenges ahead will be difficult or boring, which motivates you to get out of bed in the morning.
The long-term goal is a purpose, not an immediate objective. There is never an end to it. But even having a strong sense of purpose can drain you. Because of this, your purpose should ideally mesh with your personal interests and joys.
Following your joy is referred to as ikigai in Japan, and it is a concept. Ikigai has become more well-liked in the West recently as a means of assisting people in discovering their ideal careers and career paths.
The idea is finding the areas where what you love, what the world needs, what you are good at, and what the world will pay for overlap. Your sense of purpose is created using both your passion and rational considerations.
If you’re fortunate, your job may have led you to your ikigai. For instance, a doctor should ideally feel that their goal is to relieve suffering or assist those ill.
Others may find it more difficult to connect their work’s meaning to their own sense of purpose.
We frequently give up the idealistic version of ourselves that yearns to discover meaning and purpose in life because of work, family obligations, and social expectations.
We hold that this trade-off is necessary and that pragmatic considerations are incompatible with meaning and purpose. But that’s not very useful.
You need a sense of purpose to keep you going over the long haul. And even when it seems like life is a series of compromises, you can still find and connect to your purpose by focusing more time on the things that make you happy.
Why Is Finding Purpose Important?
Finding your life’s purpose may seem like a nice-to-have, but it’s more crucial than you might realize.
Better physical and mental fitness are benefits of leading a meaningful life. Additionally, it lowers the danger of chronic illness. Even longer life spans have been observed, according to numerous studies.
Being able to relate to other people gives one a sense of purpose. While isolation and loneliness can lead to an existential crisis, using your gifts in service of others can assist you in discovering your true purpose.
Your purpose will probably evolve over the course of your life. Staying connected to your purpose can be facilitated by ongoing growth and advancement.
Tips On How To Find Purpose In Life
Many people wonder, “What is my purpose,” so you are not alone. According to one study, only one-fourth of American adults say they have a distinct sense of purpose.
If you belong to the other 75%, use these 12 suggestions to start your quest for meaning and purpose in life.
1. Develop A Growth Mindset
A sense of purpose is related to having a growth mindset. You can find your purpose and commit to pursuing it by constantly improving and growing as a person.
A growth mindset also allows you to:
- Accept obstacles as opportunities
- Be persistent despite failure.
- Accept constructive criticism and feedback.
2. Create A Personal Vision Statement
You can manage stress and achieve balance by creating a personal vision statement. It also acts as a road map to help you reach your goals by determining your core values and what’s important to you.
Making decisions that are in line with your values is made simpler when you have a purpose statement, and it also keeps you motivated as you pursue your individual objectives.
3. Give Back
Your sense of meaning and purpose in life may be enhanced by prosocial behaviour or giving back as it is known in psychology. This implies that by helping others, you are also helping yourself.
Look for opportunities to help others. You might want to donate your time or money to a cause that appeals to you, volunteer in your community, or donate your skills. Alternately, try performing random acts of kindness to spread a little joy.
4. Practice Gratitude
According to the prosociality study, emphasizing gratitude and charitable deeds improved a participants’ sense of purpose.
According to a different study, prosocial behaviour and gratitude trigger the same reward mechanisms in the brain.
Additionally, it discovered that practising gratitude can encourage generosity and kind deeds, both of which have been linked to a sense of purpose.
It can be awkward at first to practice gratitude. Positive thoughts can feel strange because we become so accustomed to negative ones.
Write three to five things you are grateful for as soon as you wake up or just before you go to bed at night to get started.
5. Turn Your Pain Into Purpose
Life is difficult for everyone. As a result of overcoming these obstacles, we develop our individual strengths and perspectives.
Many people seek assistance when dealing with a significant life change. Some people later discover their calling by aiding those going through the same struggles they did.
Some people decide to work with people directly, such as a social worker or life coach. Through the arts, such as writing, painting, or music, other people find ways to influence the lives of others. Some go on to speak motivationally.
How you transform your pain into purpose is up to you.
6. Explore Your Passions
Your hobbies and interests can give you a good idea of your life’s work. But it can be challenging to find them. They can cause us to lose sight of them because they are so deeply ingrained in our thoughts.
Ask those who know you best if you are unsure of your passions. Without even realizing it, you’re probably already pursuing them somehow.
Maybe you serve as an informal mentor to young people in your neighbourhood. If so, you might be passionate about that.
Consider your strengths as a way to discover your passion. Someone who excels at assisting others in finding solutions to their problems may want to think about a career as a coach.
You might prefer to keep your passion a hobby rather than turning it into a full-time business or side gig.
7. Be Part Of A Community
Being involved in a community can help one feel more connected to others, which is what it means to have a purpose.
You’ll find that many people share your interests, values, and passions once you’ve identified your purpose.
You can find that sense of connection with others while collaborating with them to achieve a common objective by joining or forming a community.
8. Spend Time With People Who Inspire You
According to motivational speaker Jim Rohn, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
Spending time with people with a positive attitude and a sense of purpose will probably encourage you to do the same. They might even help you find your purpose.
Ask yourself who you spend time with, looking beyond your coworkers and family. Examine those connections to ensure you are surrounded by upbeat, aspirational people who encourage you.
9. Read
Reading fiction is one of the best ways to broaden your thought process. Books that are nonfiction are helpful for learning about specific topics. However, studies indicate that reading fiction might have more advantages.
Your empathy and critical and creative thinking will both improve after reading fiction. This is due to the fact that when you put yourself in a character’s shoes, you picture how you would respond in that circumstance.
Reading also fosters relationships with people from various eras, locations, and cultures. By doing this, you can develop a sense of connection that gives you a sense of meaning in life.
10. Join A Cause
Each of us is deeply committed to a cause. Perhaps social justice, animal welfare, or the environment are important.
Fighting for a cause ties together several of the tips mentioned above, including:
- Giving back
- Forming part of a community
- Doing something you’re passionate about
- Surrounding yourself with people who inspire you
Perhaps you want to raise money for a specific disease’s research or provide green spaces for inner-city kids. Whatever it may be, getting involved with a cause will increase your sense of purpose.
11. Practice Self-Acceptance
By acknowledging your limitations, you can be kinder to yourself when things are unplanned. We all make mistakes, so try to look at each setback as an opportunity to learn rather than beating yourself up for them.
You can improve your self-awareness and self-acceptance by practising self-compassion. You’re more likely to give your best effort in every circumstance when you accept who you are in all of your complexity. This could happen at work, with your family, or while engaging in your favourite activities.
This may result in a deeper kinship with everyone and everything you do, giving your life more significance.
12. Take Time For self-care
Self-care can take many forms, and only you can define what that means. Maybe you enjoy walking in the woods, practising deep breathing, or writing about your challenging emotions in a journal.
Why, then, is self-care so crucial? Because our minds are most creative when they are relaxed. When you compete with yourself, you cannot accomplish anything or be of service to others.
Have you ever noticed that some of your best ideas come when you’re in the shower? That’s because our minds are more open and receptive to the flow of ideas than they are when we try to force ourselves to think.
Creative thinking comes naturally when our minds are in a state of relaxation. And it can lead you closer to finding your purpose.
Finding Purpose In Life Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
Behind every successful person is clarity of purpose. And unless you find yours, you’ll continue to cruise through life on autopilot. You may find yourself knocked off-course and lost, uncertain how to move forward or which direction is forward. Or, life may be smooth but one day you may look back and wish you had used your time differently.
Identifying, acknowledging, and honoring your purpose is the foundation of a well-rounded life. It requires some courage because it opens up questions and ideas that might not be comfortable. Yet it’s worth it. Purpose provides you with an inner compass that guides every decision and leads you to the experiences that will light up your soul.
It can be challenging to identify your purpose and link it to fulfilling work. Supportive direction can be useful. Get in touch with BetterUp if you want assistance discovering your calling and adding more meaning to your life. One of our knowledgeable coaches will be glad to help you.
