Want to Find Your Purpose? Learn the Secrets…

Photo: CCO Creative Commons

By Cynthia Dalton

The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion. — Terry Orlick

3 Steps to Finding Purpose

In her article, 3 Unexpected Ways to Find Your Life Purpose for huffingtonpost.com, Shannon Kaiser writes:

The two greatest days of your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out what your purpose is, but if you don’t know what your purpose is than you don’t know why you are here, and it can be hard to keep going.

Ms. Kaiser suggests 3 ways to find purpose (or purposes) in our lives:

1. Get Into More Action
You can’t think your way into finding your life purpose; you have to do your way into it…
The more we act, the more we get clear on things… Start taking steps toward your goals and start trying new things… This will help you get out of your own way.
2. Drop from Your Head to Your Heart
Start taking steps to do what you love…When you lead from your heart, you are naturally more joyful and motivated to explore. By doing what you love, you will be inspired and gain insights into what brings you the most joy.
3. Break Up with the “ONE”
Many of us struggle because we try to find that ONE thing that we are meant to do; but trying to find only one thing is the reason why we feel like something is missing. The notion that we have only one thing we are meant for limits us from fulfilling our greatness… Let go of thinking there is only one purpose for you and embrace the idea that our purpose in life is to love life fully by putting ourselves into our life! This means we jump in and try new things; we stop resisting the unknown and we fully engage in what is happening right here, where we are.

Ms. Kaiser offers a simple equation to keep in mind:

Passion + Daily Action = Purposeful Life

Ms. Kaiser’s point is well-taken. Don’t stay numb and don’t stand still. We must engage in our lives to fully realize our lives. And, we must be prepared to explore different avenues, like tasting different flavors at the ice cream shop, until we find the few that really speak to us. After all, some are lucky and stumble upon or intuit the purpose or purposes in what they do, much like a rescue dog instinctively realizes its potential. But for most of us, steering ourselves in the direction of what excites us, and taking action on a daily basis toward that which excites us, is what will ultimately guide us to the purpose and meaning in what we do.

The Real Secret… Invest Time and Effort in Action

In her article for Forbes, Six Ways To Discover Your Life Purpose, Mei Mei Fox suggests specific ways to discover our passions and take action toward a career that reflects our life purpose:

1. Create a Vision Board.
Fox writes, “Look for any pictures, photos, drawings or images that inspire you, that make you go “Hmmm, I’d like more of that in my life.” Clip, cut and paste. See what story begins to emerge. Do you see any patterns? Are the pictures of outdoor places in nature, or of big cities? Of magical fantastical creatures, or of man-made machines? You can learn a lot about your soul’s desires by gazing at your vision board.”
2. Follow Your Hobbies.
Your hobbies may seem like diversions, but they’re also speaking to you about the things you care about. Fox suggests considering a career that merges your skill set with your interests.
3. Notice What You Post About.
Fox says, “The topics that get you talking are ones that you care a great deal about. You might consider a career that tackles one of them.”
4. Do Your Homework.
Fox suggests researching the companies that most value their employees and nurture a sense of purpose. She also suggests delving into career guide books for inspiration.
5. Be a Chatterbox.
Another way to find inspiration is by talking to people about their careers — you might pick up ideas that hadn’t occurred to you before.
6. Treat Your Life as a Daring Adventure.
Fox states, “There is no substitute for living your life with curiosity. Get out there and see the world. Visit other countries if you can. Ask your friends to have you over to their offices for lunch so that you can look around the place, discuss with people what they’re up to, and see their company in action. Observe. Inquire. Take notes. Always be asking yourself, ‘What inspires me? What makes my heart sing?’ If you’re paying attention, you’ll notice a trill of hope, a shiver up your spine, a way your eyes light up, a quickening of breath and energy that signifies when you discover something that aligns with your purpose.”

Enjoy the Journey

As Ms. Kaiser says in her article, 3 Unexpected Ways to Find Your Life Purpose for huffingtonpost.com:

Consider that the real purpose of anyone’s life is to be fully involved in living. Try to be present for the journey and fully embrace it. Soon you will be oozing with passion, and you will feel so purposeful and fulfilled you will wonder how you lived life without it. Enjoy the journey into your own awesome life.

For additional inspiration, here’s a playlist of TED Talks on the subject of finding purpose, you might want to check out. As stated on ted.com, “Not sure what to do with your one precious life? These talks help you find the path that only you could take.”