001 | Purpose

Finding & Cultivating Purpose In Your Life.

The dictionary states that purpose is, "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists." More simplistically it all comes down to.. Why are you here? What fulfills you? What wakes you up every day? What motivates you?

Discovering your purpose doesn't mean that you are living with purpose. You are responsible for living it.

As Winston Churchill once said, "It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something."

"How Do I Know If I Found My Purpose?"

You know you found your purpose when you don't need to ask this question anymore.

But in case you just want to be sure, here are five ways you will know you found your purpose:

• You begin imagining the endless possibilities of what you can do with this; even more so, you can't wait to start.

• You don't worry about how you are actually going to accomplish this, you just know you will.

• Money is great [we all like to be comfortable], but when you find your purpose, money will not be a factor in determining what makes you feel fulfilled and alive.

• It feels natural. You know you have a lot to learn, but it doesn't feel like a chore.

• You won't dread Monday. More importantly, you won't be living for the weekend.

"How Do I Find My Purpose?"

Good question. I'm glad you asked.

Finding your purpose is actually a really fun journey; it just doesn't feel like it at the time.

If you feel like you don't have a purpose, there's nothing out there for you, or you've already tried to find it; but couldn't. I promise, you have a purpose, and it's out there. You have to be actively participating in all of the stages.

It is rare [but it is possible] to know your sense of purpose without trial and error. The majority of us, however, must indulge ourselves into a journey of self-exploration to find this. Things can get messy and there is unfortunately no guidebook, or right or wrong time frame, in which this should or will happen.

How well do you know yourself? Right now, like many of you reading this, you are probably thinking "well of course I know myself," or maybe you are thinking "not at all." Either way, this is going to be the key to finding your true purpose in life. You have to know yourself.

I was an academic advisor at a university and I met a lot of people that thought they knew exactly what they wanted, but suddenly have no idea. I usually think of this stage as the dreaded "identity crisis." We all joke about having one... but really we actually are having one without knowing the name of this frustrating feeling.

Here are a few things you can do to get started [Tip: don't overthink any of this]:

1. Ask yourself... "what is really important to me?"

[I would suggest making a list so you can visualize this.]

i.e. It is important for me to help people/work with computers/understand people and

their cultures.. etc.

No answer is a wrong answer.

2. What kind of hobbies do I have? What do I enjoy doing?

A lot of times the things we enjoy doing, we enjoy for a reason. And a lot of times we

feel like there is no way to incorporate that into our life. It feels too enjoyable

and too natural to be something you can use towards your purpose.

[Hint: See above for signs you have found your purpose]

For example, let's say you enjoy video games and helping people. Maybe you could

develop a game to help with specific learning disabilities, use games as a therapeutic

tool, or even just to help someone unwind. We all know the impact video games can

have; it doesn't necessarily always have to have a negative connotation like we hear of

most often.

3. How would you get to know someone else?

Do that with yourself. It may feel awkward, but there is probably a lot you don't know

about yourself.

Click here for a list that I found to help get you started.

[Lists with generic questions probably won't get you very far. This list, however, makes

you think outside of your norm.]

4. Be willing to try new things.

Get out of your comfort zone. Maybe you haven't found your purpose because you don't

even know it exists out there somewhere. Explore.

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Wishing you much growth as you continue to cultivate your passion, purpose, and discovery of yourself.

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