3 Steps To Discovering The Purpose of Your Life

Your Purpose 

Determining what our purpose is in life can be one of the hardest questions that we as humans must try to answer. I can remember going through high school, where it seemed like absolutely everyone else knew exactly what they wanted to do when they grew up... and there I was feeling completely aimless!  It took me years (and a very wandering path) to create the life I'm so happy with today!

In this quick article we will be going through a step by step process, exploring your feelings and options, and by the end, you should have a fairly solid tool you can immediately employ in your life, to help give it a meaningful direction and find more joy!  If you're looking for something more in-depth, check out Finding Meaning on Amazon.

There are three steps to the process of discovering the purpose of your life:

1. Understanding the principle of choice
2. Creating your “underlying principle”
3. Aligning your life with this underlying principle

Understanding The Principle of Choice

Norman Vincent Peale has this to say about the power of choice. 

“The greatest power we have is the power of choice. It is an actual fact, that if you have been groping under unhappiness, you can choose to be joyous, instead. And, by effort, lift yourself into joy. If you tend to be fearful, you can overcome that misery by choosing to have courage. The whole trend and the quality of anyone’s life is determined by the choices that are made”.

When you really put your mind to something, your chances of accomplishing that goal absolutely soar!  “Choosing” is the most important activity of your mind, because by making a choice, you are proclaiming your desires to your subconscious mind.  My "day job" involves cognitive remediation therapy.  One of the computer tasks we have patients work on is called the Attention Network Task.  It is based on neuroscientific research into voluntary attention.  A normal, healthy brain is capable of deciding what it wants to focus its attention on and is able to filter out (or ignore) irrelevant information.  Think about when you're sitting at a restaurant having a conversation with someone.  You're usually able to filter out the background noise (for the most part) so that you can pay attention to the conversation at hand.  You choose your goal and stick with it!  

Indecision, on the other hand, not only creates frustration and anxiety, but can also confuse the subconscious mind about what you want.  The more clear you can be about what you really want, and what your goals are, the more effective you will be at reaching those targets.

It is important that the choices you make are made by you, in accordance with your true desires, purposes and aptitude.  That's where clarity and reflection come into play.  A lot of us let others make choices for us, or make our choices according to what we think is ‘correct’, even if that means that we go against our own personality, desires, and dreams. What is right for someone else may not be right for you.  Sometimes it takes time, pondering, and even experimentation to find out what you really want.  If you're not sure, take action and see how it feels.  

So, to begin with, make a list of things which interest you; things which you have always enjoyed, which make you feel alive, which inspire you to surge ahead no matter what obstacles you face.  Consider what settings give you energy... Do you prefer interacting with people most of the time, or is solitude more your thing?  Are you more creative and artistic?  Or do you prefer logic and science?  Is it some combination of both?  Consider your strengths, your passions, your hobbies and interests.  What gives you joy? 

Whatever it is that interests you, write it down and answer these questions:

• What thing do you love to do?

• What is it that you love in this thing and why?

• How could you do this for money, and make a living out of it?

"Happiness is a choice, not a result.  Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy.  No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy.  Your happiness will not come to you.  It can only come from you."  

        - Ralph Marston

Creating Your Underlying Principle

The next step is to examine the list you just made and find out if there is any recurring theme.  When you think about the different activities that you truly enjoy, is there anything that keeps popping up?   Maybe you notice that your favorite activities tend to revolve around helping others, or tend to have something to do with being out in nature. Whatever it is, try to identify the central theme of the things you love to do, and try to put it in a short and precise statement. This will be your ‘Mission Statement’. It may even be a quote by a famous person, or a philosophy that has influenced you. Of course, as you grow and move through life, this statement could evolve, but its essence will tend to remain the same. 

Now, write down the Mission Statement for your life.

Aligning Your LIFE With Your Underlying Principle

The final step in this journey is to map your path to your ultimate purpose and to begin implementing changes that help to align your daily life with your underlying purpose. By making these little changes in your lifestyle, you will start to be able to begin living this principle out each and every day. It might take a few days, but by becoming aware and intentional of this underlying principle of your life, you will certainly start to feel the difference in your enthusiasm for life as a whole. 

If you realize that you love being amidst nature, plan out your holiday. Maybe an outing with your children could be enough to recoup with your energy. If you discover that you enjoy helping those in need, start to look for opportunities to volunteer in your community. On the other hand, you might even want to change your job, or start a new business that is more in line with your mission statement.

So there you have it! By following along with the steps outlined above, you will be on your way to finding and living out your purpose. And, as you go through this process, just remember; 

“You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.” - Steve Maraboli

If you're interested in diving deeper into this topic, take a look at Finding Meaning on Amazon.  In the book, I share some of my own story around finding my path in life, as well as going into more detail on discovering your authentic self.  Finding Meaning is FREE on Kindle Unlimited, or just $4.99 to buy.  

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DISCLAIMER: 

This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any type of mental or physical issues. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

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