DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE

Posted on February 13, 2014 by April Kunis, One of Thousands of Relationship Coaches on Noomii.

By April M. Kunis, MA, LPC
Insight Counseling and Coaching Specialists, LLC
1585 Old Norcross Rd., Suite 201, Lawrenceville, GA 30046
678-779-9314

Is your life lacking joy and fulfillment? Do you feel like your drifting through life with no real focus or plan? Do you ever find yourself asking, “Is this all there is?” Many people, like you, find themselves moving from one task to the next in a blind haze, or simply grinding ahead to the next day so they can grind through more of the same. How do you step off “the treadmill,” get out of “the daily grind,” and find the joy and fulfillment that is your birthright?

Research tells us that people who know their purpose and make the conscious effort to live that purpose each day are happier, more focused, more resilient, and experience greater satisfaction in all areas of life. If you want to live a rich, fulfilling life, confident that your choices will bring you joy and meaning — creating a life purpose statement is the best way to achieve that.

What is A Life Purpose Statement?

A life purpose statement describes in clear detail the reason you exist, why you are here now, and how you see your life unfolding. People often confuse a life purpose with a career plan. A life purpose is more broad than a career plan and impacts all areas of your life, including your career.

Why Is A Life Purpose Statement Important?

With all the distractions in life, and all of the opportunities, it is hard to separate what is really important from what only appears to be urgent, and what is truly of value to you versus what others tell you is valuable. Making life decisions both large and small can be a challenge when you do not know what the future holds or where you are going in life. Your life purpose is what you are meant to take with you from this life — what you want to experience, understand, contribute, or learn. Discovering it creates a lifetime filled with meaning, joy, clarity, and centeredness.

A detailed life purpose statement offers you a road map by giving you a clear vision of where you want your life journey to take you. It keeps you focused. It can act as a compass to help guide you through the maze of life. It can help you make major decisions, pick the right school, the best mate, a fulfilling career, or the right city to live in. It can also help you with the small daily choices including how you want to interact with others.

So How Do You Find Your Purpose?

Your purpose is very closely tied to your strengths, skills, and passions. A little bit of introspection on your part regarding these topics is all it takes to figure it out. Set aside a few hours of uninterrupted time, get some paper and pens, and answer the following questions:

1. At what times in your life have you felt most alive and joyful?
2. What are your natural gifts, skills, and talents?
3. What do you love to do?
4. What are you passionate about?
5. What are your values?
6. When do you feel the best about yourself?
7. What are your strengths?
8. What have others said you are really good at? (It may be helpful to ask others this question.)
9. How do you most enjoy interacting with other people?
10. What would you change in the world if you could?

When you read through your answers to these questions underline or circle reoccurring themes or words. What do your answers have in common?

Once you’ve had a chance to analyze your answers to these questions, it’s time to write your life purpose statement. A statement of your purpose can be as short or as long as you would like. Be sure to include themes that you identified during your introspection. You can add or remove sentences or words until you have a written statement that reflects you.

Here is my own personal life purpose statement as an example:

I make a difference in this world by:
• Living a healthy life—mind, body, and spirit;
• Living in the present moment, fully enjoying my spiritual connection to all people and things;
• Using my strengths and gifts to help myself and others achieve their fullest potential;
• Showing caring toward myself, others, and this planet.

As you can see from the example, I can apply my purpose statement to all areas of my life, whether I’m at work, with my family, deciding what to cook for dinner, or standing in line at the grocery store. It is broad, and yet it reflects my unique passions, strengths, and values. Make your purpose statement broad enough to encompass all areas of your life, and a reflection of your unique passions, strengths, and values. Your statement does not have to contain any of the wording or formatting that I used in my purpose statement. Make it your own. Experiment and be creative until you discover what feels right for you.

How do you use your life purpose statement to gain more fulfillment and joy in your life?

Use your purpose statement to guide you through all of your daily decisions, big or small. Write it down and carry it with you. Memorize it. Repeat it to yourself as needed.

What do you do if you get stuck or overwhelmed when writing your life purpose?

Don’t worry about making the statement perfect. If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed, set it aside for a short period of time and come back to it when you feel ready. If you find yourself at a sticking point, consider hiring an experienced life coach or therapist to help you gain some clarity and guide you through the process.

The bottom line is this: It’s worth your time and your effort to discover your purpose. Knowing my purpose and using it as my guide has impacted my life in a tremendously positive way. All areas of my life are meaningful, I love my life, and I know that I make a difference in this world. Knowing your purpose can do the same for you too.

You are here for a reason. Live your best life! Be your best self! Experience all of the joy and fulfillment that you deserve!