How to Find Your Purpose
Summary. Do you know what your “purpose” is? If you’re eager to find it, here are three actions you can take right now to move forward:
- Seek out new experiences and reach beyond yourself. It’s important to cultivate your passions and seek out experiences that can reveal how your interests can contribute to others’ lives in ways that are personally meaningful. Ask yourself: Who or what inspires me to get out of my comfort zone and connect with the world beyond me? What is a simple first step I can take right now to start exploring socially useful career opportunities?
- Reflect on your experiences. Experience, however, is not enough. It’s important to reflect on your experiences and find meaning in them. Some reflection questions you can ask yourself include: How did this experience shape who I am? How did it impact my values and worldviews? Your answers will help you gain insight into the aspects of the experiences you’ve most enjoyed, derived meaning from, and want to continue pursuing.
- Discuss your life goals and gather feedback. Once you’ve done some personal self-reflection, it’s important to discuss your aspirations with your peers (not just with a therapist, coach, or counsellor). These conversations can give you diverse perspectives and help see your goals in a new light. You might share with your friend: “I have been thinking about what I want from life lately and would love to share some of my ideas with someone. Do you have time to talk? I would enjoy learning about your life goals as well.”
Do you feel like you have a strong sense of purpose guiding your career aspirations?
Purpose can be defined as an overarching intention that is personally meaningful to you and of consequence to the world beyond yourself. Your purpose can help you organize your life, give you a clear direction, and motivate you — especially when you encounter life’s inevitable setbacks and disappointments.
For example, maybe you’ve always had a strong desire to contribute to the greater good, leading you to pursue a career in medicine or nonprofit work. Or maybe you’re most energized when lifting up others and want to entertain them through a creative career. Or maybe, you’re still figuring out your purpose — that’s okay too. In fact, one estimate suggests that only a fifth of young people have a clear idea of their purpose.
Finding your purpose early in life can benefit you in many ways. Those who report a strong sense of purpose at younger ages tend to have better mental health and are more resilient against setbacks. Finding your purpose is also a precursor to being an effective leader, and working in a meaningful career that can make a positive impact.
So, what does it take to find your purpose?
