Last Updated on February 21, 2023 by Shane Corbitt
Finding your purpose is important. After all, purpose is how you give your life direction. More important, having a purpose makes your life worthwhile. It makes you feel like you’re contributing something important to the world and living for more than just getting by.
What’s challenging is figuring out how to find your purpose. If you’re struggling to figure things out, ask yourself this series of questions. Take your time to work through these questions and really think about them. Journaling about your answers might also help, especially if you struggle to come up with an answer at first glance.
What Are Your Talents?
We don’t always put enough faith in the things we excel at. Remember, though, we tend to practice the things we like doing. If you put effort into this skill, there is a reason worth exploring.
What Gets You Moving
Think about the last time you got out of bed full of eagerness to start the day. You might not realize you already have a purpose. If something excites you, there might be a purpose lurking. Explore those times when the excitement kept spilling over and see if you can find it.
What Are You Curious About?
Are there things that have always fascinated you that you haven’t given time to explore? This might be hiding a deep-seated interest. If so, it’s definitely time to explore some of these things.
What Are Your Best Qualities?
We all have things we like about ourselves. Make a list of those traits. Now ask yourself how to use these traits more in your daily life. For example, if you love your positive attitude, maybe your purpose involves being an encourager in some capacity.
What Causes are Important To You?
There are likely several things you’re already interested in and spend time supporting. Maybe your purpose has a hint of activism somewhere which needs to be brought out more fully?
Where Do You Lose Time?
Do you know how hours can pass when you’re doing something you love? Think about the last few times this happened. What was going on when this happened? What kind of work or activity were you doing? Your purpose is probably wrapped up in here somewhere.
What Do You Want to Leave Behind?
Have you ever given thought to the legacy you want to leave? If not, consider this exercise. Write your future obituary. What would you like to be remembered for? Your purpose is probably tied up in the answer.
Even if you have a purpose now, this might not be the purpose that inspires you five years from now. Revisiting these questions will help you change and adapt your purpose whenever you feel you’ve outgrown your current purpose.
