Staying Purposeful
There has been a LOT written about the “life purpose” concept. The idea that is why we are each on the planet, much of it tied to what we are here to accomplish.
In his, now famous, book, Start with Why, Simon Sinek writes eloquently about the importance of working from the inside-out. This a theme we are familiar with from inspirational authors and presenters such as Dr. Stephen Covey (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) and Dr. Viktor Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning). This approach is not a sprint; it is a marathon. It is also the approach that will bear the most fruit over time.
Knowing what you’re about and feeling like you have a purpose is one of the foundational qualities of resilient people. It is this quality that helps provide direction and clarity in difficult and challenging times.
Stephen Covey observed, “People can’t live with change if there’s not a changeless core inside them.” Once you have a sense of purpose and mission, decisions and choices become easier and clearer.
So how do you discover what your life purpose is? This may not be as difficult as you might imagine and frankly, you probably already know what it is. Our task will be to, in Viktor Frankl’s words, “detect our path.” This process is not, at its core, an intellectual one. It is, instead, a process of self-discovery. In this case, discovering what you have long known.
To get started unearthing what you already know, spend some time answering the following questions:
1. Do I feel fulfilled in my life? Do I do something important to me each or most days?
2. What is it that continues to draw my attention and focus? Is it different than what I am currently spending time focusing on?
3. What did I like to do as a child? Am I still doing any of those things? Do they continue to bring me satisfaction?
4. What makes me forget about time?
5. What or who have you always wanted to be?
6. What are you going to DO to make the world a better place?
7. What have you always done that feels satisfying and important?
Once you have this foundation in place, you will start to notice a theme or pattern of being in the world. Not necessarily about your vocation, although it might, but more about of being in the world that resonates with you.
