Finding Your Purpose…
It is a true fact that some people find their purpose in life early and pursue it; while for some, it takes a lifetime of soul searching to know what matters in their lives. Research shows that what a person chooses to pursue as their life career might be actually what fulfils every other bit of their life. While this may seem like the ideal way to live, a majority of the world’s population is stuck in life pursuits that barely give them any joy; perhaps because they never quite sat still for a moment to think about this big question but instead they simply went with the flow. Our society tends to define the standards of the kind of life many of us live. While it may work for some, there are still some of us that have felt quite restless under that big umbrella of societal norms and expectations.
There also comes an age where even though you may have felt fulfilled and well-grounded, you begin to wonder if your life choices are speaking to you. It might be that you have started to do some soul searching and are starting to find patterns in your thinking and passions that ring true to your true self and you are thinking “Mhh, I guess there must be more to life.”
So how can you find your life’s purpose?
Step 1. Dig Deep
To get to the point where you are asking yourself about your purpose in life, you must of course have given a thought about which values define you. What way of life do you feel is the right way? What problems in the world disturb you and how do you want to solve them? Ask yourself about things you may want to spend more of your time doing. Are there causes you would like to support?
It could be you have watched documentaries about plastic pollution and how it affects the sea turtles population and you want to do something about it. Look around, there are hundreds of other humans with a similar mind who would be more than happy to lead you by the hand into your turtle saving mission.
Another way to see yourself clearly is by taking note of what you post online, what posts you like and comment on can give you a clue of what it is that really makes you tick.
Asking for feedback from those who know you without bias can be another way to see your reflection on things you hold in a high state.
Step 2. Dare
“Great things are Unique and unconventional”, Mark Manson, on finding your purpose.
Does what you feel would be your life’s purpose feel too scary? Might you fail? Might you uncover bits of you that you are vulnerable about? If you have such feelings, take the good advice to jump right ahead with your brilliant idea. True, you might fail, but what if you succeeded? An even if you fail the first time, you gain experience. Finding your purpose in life is not a goal post that you score into once and get a medal. At times it involves a medley of failed attempts, small wins, acceptance of your own humanness and eventually cruising at a pace that you are now quite capable of controlling. Because as a matter of fact, being in control of your own life’s decisions is halfway to finding purpose.
Step 3. Appreciate What You Have Now
A big barrier to finding your purpose can be the constant pursuit of things, entertainment and thrill. Step back and take stock of what you have already achieved and give yourself a pat on the back for getting so far. Accept the mistakes you have made and count them as a way to build muscle for your great life adventure.
With acceptance comes the acknowledgement of the responsibility you have for your own life’s path. This will help you not to be distracted by anything others say because they might feel like you are out of your mind. Don’t be afraid of seeming that way, after all, you are the only one who understands what you are trying to achieve. As Tony Robbins advises, “take ownership of your own life.”
Being comfortable with the responsibility laid on your hands by the search for the purpose of life can be accurately termed as the final alignment of all the elements that are required in this journey. So what do you stand to gain by finding your purpose in life? Apart from good sleep, great health, less anxiety and an overall feeling of inner peace, you will be inspired in whatever you do. Because yo will be doing it from the bottom of your motivation, you will no doubt be excited about it. You will walk with a bounce to your step and whatever setback may come, it will not floor you because you can bounce right back up and on your way again.
