Why are some of you just paying the bills to live a status-quo life?
Why are some of you just being average to your spouse?
Why are you not living out your divine purpose?
The WHY is what gets us out of bed each day to live with our hair on fire. If you don't have a strong WHY you won't have a strong passion for what you are doing.
HOW TO FIND PURPOSE IN LIFE
There are many benefits of knowing your purpose – but how can you figure it out? It is a combination of the science of achievement and the art of fulfillment that creates the road to happiness and a life of meaning. To succeed in finding your purpose, you must master this balance.
1. SEARCH INWARD
The questions “What is my purpose in life?” and “How can I be happy?” are the same – and they have the same answer. You can never truly understand how to find your purpose by listening to others’ opinions and seeking outside approval. Therefore you have to know WHY you are doing each activity in your life. Being intentional with each task requires awareness, diligent reflection, and a plan to put them into action.
2. PUT PURPOSE BEFORE GOALS
If you focus only on achieving short-term goals, you will never find your true passion or learn how to find your purpose. The goals you work toward must always be based on finding your purpose. If they’re not, you’ll only feel a fleeting sense of accomplishment and will soon be seeking something more. You won’t be able to see that life is happening for you instead of to you.
When you set a goal, ask yourself: How will this help me feel more fulfilled? How does this relate back to my purpose of Why this fulfills me? I have been using Habit Tracker on my phone with a couple of friends to know what I am doing each day, week, or month because these specific habits of reading, working out, writing, and communicating with people matter to me. If I don't track what I want for my life, then how can I be successful in making strides to transforming not only my life but more importantly those around me?
3. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIFE
True fulfillment comes from designing your own life. This is how you unlock the extraordinary. To find your purpose, you must decide what’s truly right, and know it in your heart and soul. You must not let yourself be driven by fear or anxiety. A decision made from fear is always the wrong decision. It will not help you understand “What is my purpose?” but instead confuse the issue even more.
To truly take ownership, you must stop playing the victim. Realize that every circumstance in your life is a result of your own decisions, not anyone else’s. When you take responsibility for finding your purpose instead of blaming others, fulfillment follows.
4. DEVELOP YOUR OWN LIFE VISION STATEMENT
Before you can ask yourself “What is my purpose?” or WHY I should be doing this, you first have to know what an ideal world looks like and how you fit into it. Creating a life vision statement involves identifying what life would look like if everyone was living up to their fullest potential. This will help you develop a roadmap to guide you in the proper direction. In my life and working with friends and my students, it's imperative to know Where you want to go and WHY. Using your strengths and values to live the life you were meant to live is vital. In the book Habakkuk, Chapter 2 verse 2, it reads, And the LORD answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
5. FIND FELLOWSHIP
To find your community, follow your passions. Join a volunteer group. Take a class to develop a skill you enjoy. Seek out support online. Find others who enjoy the same music, books, or plays. The saying “You are who your friends are” is true – and when you find the right community, it’s a good thing.
