FINDING YOUR PERSONAL PURPOSE
Guide Description:
Life can be filled with distractions and competing priorities and discovering your personal purpose can be both challenging and transformative. This guide is designed to lead us through a reflective journey aimed at uncovering our core values, passions and what our unique contributions to the world.
The guide will facilitate critical thinking and self-awareness, including:
Understanding Purpose: Define what personal purpose means and why it matters in living a fulfilled life.
Self-Assessment: Utilize various reflective exercises to identify your strengths, interests, and values, leading to greater self-awareness.
Overcoming Barriers: Explore common obstacles that hinder the pursuit of purpose, including fear, societal expectations, and limiting beliefs.
Setting Intentions: Learn how to translate insights from self-discovery into actionable goals and meaningful life choices, fostering a purposeful mindset.
Creating a Personal Action Plan: Develop a personalized plan that incorporates daily practices, accountability measures, and resources to continue the journey towards a purposeful life.
Learning Objective:
By the end of this guide learners will not only have a clearer understanding of their personal purpose but also the tools and strategies needed to integrate this purpose into their everyday lives by exploring;
What comes naturally to us (Aptitude),
Learn how to master it (Practice) and
Pursue our dream (Set Goals) .
We will do this by examining the following:
The 4 Elements of Purpose: Talent, Passion, Ethics, Need
Uncovering Your Passion
Adopting A Personal Mission Statement
Mind+Body Connection
Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.” – Washington Irving
Reflection Point: Here are a few questions to reflect on before we get started - allow yourself the space and freedom to think through them:
1. What drives you to wake up every morning? What is the underlying motivation that fuels your actions and decisions in life?
2. Are you living in true to your values and beliefs? How can you ensure that your actions are is consistent with your true self?
3. What brings you joy and fulfillment? How can you incorporate more of these activities or experiences into your life?
4. Have you discovered your unique talents, strengths, and passions? If not, how can you explore and uncover them?
5. What impact do you want to make in the world? How can you contribute to something greater than yourself and leave a positive mark on society?
Defining your Personal Purpose is the driving force that gives meaning, direction and fulfillment to your life. It encompasses your core values, passions and aspirations, guiding them towards a meaningful and fulfilling existence.
Your Personal Purpose is about understanding yourself on a deeper level and aligning your actions with your values and passions. It goes beyond just surviving day-to-day; it is about thriving and making a significant contribution to the world in a way that reflects your true essence.
The 4 Elements of Purpose: Talent, Passion, Work Ethic, Need
Whether you know what you want or still in the process of discovery, these are the factors that influence us and help us hone in on what becomes our personal purpose. The author of the blog http://lifetrainingonline.com broke down purpose into 4 elements of talent, passion, need and conscience.
Below is a revised Reflective Human version:
Talent is a reflection of one's innate abilities, honed through dedication, perseverance, and tireless practice. It is an intangible element that enables us surpass our limitations and achieve feats that leave others in awe. Talent is not limited to the realms of art or music; it covers all aspects of life, from academics to sports to entrepreneurship. It is the spark that sets you apart from the crowd. Whether it is a mesmerizing performance on stage, a groundbreaking invention, or an extraordinary achievement in any domain, talent shines brightly, captivating hearts and inspiring minds. It is the essence of human potential, waiting to be nurtured and unleashed into the world.
Passion when you engage in an activity you’re passionate about, life becomes more than just a series of tasks; it becomes determination. When we engage in something we love with passion, it elevates interest to talent. It is passion that keeps us returning to something even when others do not seem to appreciate what we see or love doing. It may be the most mundane of activities or the hardest of them, with passion it becomes a work of art, a spectacle that can leave others in awe and wondering how they failed to see the beauty that you so plainly show. However talented or gifted one maybe, if you lack passion for what you do, it just becomes another tedious task you would like to avoid.
Work Ethic encompasses a solid set of values, discipline, and dedication towards one's duties and responsibilities. A strong work ethic entails a relentless commitment to producing high-quality work, meeting deadlines, and continuously improving skills. It involves going above and beyond expectations, taking initiative, and being accountable for one's actions. A person with exceptional work ethic is self-motivated, reliable, and possesses a strong sense of integrity. They understand that success is not solely measured by the number of hours put in, but rather by the quality and efficiency of their work. You may have the talent, you may have the passion, you may have even identified your purpose! But when you lack the drive to pursue it, we could give ourselves a million reasons why we missed a deadline or didn’t show up, or why the task is poorly done. Good work ethic keeps us on track and helps us achieve our goals, however long that may take.
Need, while passion and work ethic are essential elements of our personal purpose, the last piece is need. This determines where in the scheme of things or passion fits in, where and how it is most useful. Afterall a passion for making the most decadent of desserts, however delicious, would fall flat if targeted at diabetics. Identifying need is the least emotional of the 4 elements, it requires research, social, psychological and economic analysis to make sound decisions. Even when you are engaged in charitable pursuits, the type of service provided has to meet the desire of your target audience, otherwise all efforts would go unappreciated or even scorned.
Uncovering Your Passion
Discovering your personal purpose involves a journey of self-reflection and introspection. It requires asking profound questions such as:
1. What brings me joy and fulfillment? Understanding the activities, interests, or causes that ignite a sense of purpose and enthusiasm is crucial. Identifying those areas allows individuals to integrate their passions into their daily lives and create a sense of purpose. As you go about your day, begin to take note of the things that draws your attention the most, if you are bored with your day to day job, what would you rather be doing?
2. What are my core values and beliefs? Personal purpose is usually closely intertwined with an your core values and beliefs. It involves aligning your actions and decisions with these fundamental principles. When living in alignment with deeply-held values, individuals feel a profound sense of purpose and authenticity. Deeply held values powers what come natural to you, it is what you would find yourself talking about or seeking out the most. Do you know what it is?
3. How can I make a positive impact on the world? Personal purpose often involves contributing to something larger than oneself. It may manifest as making a difference in the lives of others, serving a specific cause, or using your skills and talents to create positive change. By embracing the power of influence, you can shape the world around you in a meaningful way.
4. How can I create a purpose-driven life? Personal purpose requires intentional action and conscious decision-making. It involves setting meaningful goals, pursuing personal growth and continually seeking opportunities to live out your purpose in all areas of life – be it personal relationships, career, or community engagement.
It is worth noting that personal purpose is not a fixed destination but an evolving journey. It can change and adapt as you grow and gain new experiences. It requires regular self-reflection and openness to exploring new possibilities, allowing you to refine and redefine your purpose as you navigate through life.
Personal Mission Statement
According to Tom Gerencer (a career expert at Zety.com), A personal mission statement isn’t just a good idea—it’s the most powerful tool for finding yourself. This exercise https://zety.com/blog/personal-mission-statement breaks down how to write your mission statement.
It shows you what to say no to. It saves you time and energy for what matters most. It aligns your every moment in service of your goals. Plus, it isn’t hard to write. It comes down to asking yourself a few questions. And we’ll show you exactly what.
How do you write a personal mission statement?
This is where you dream big. Paint a picture powerful enough to get you out of bed each morning with energy and joy.
1. Identify the value you want to create.
What value do you want to bring into the world? What’s important to you? Pick a dream big enough to power your inner fusion reactor for life.
2. Choose who you want to create it for.
Who will you help? Everyone? Children? Women? People who’ve lost hope? Pick recipients of your talents to sharpen your focus.
3. Point out core skills you’ll use to create it.
What’s your superpower? Mine is explaining complex things clearly. Yours might be teaching, compassion, creating, or design.
4. Add what you want for yourself.
Don’t skimp on your needs. Some of the best personal mission statements are self-focused. Richard Branson just wants to learn and have fun.
5. Cut the specifics. Save details for your goals list.
Want to run a restaurant? Go to the moon? Make $10 million? Save specifics like that for your personal career goals.
But how do I do it?
Still not sure how to write a personal or career mission statement? Use the personal mission statement template below.
At the end your personal mission statement will look like this:
To use [XYZ SKILLS] to [HAVE XYZ POSITIVE OUTCOME] for [XYZ GROUP OF PEOPLE] with [XYZ DETAILS].
Reflection Point
It’s time to ask yourself:
1. Am I living life authentically, or am I trying to meet the expectations of others? How can I embrace my true identity and live according to my own terms?
2. What legacy do I want to leave behind? How can I ensure that my actions and choices today align with the legacy I wish to create?
3. What challenges or obstacles have I overcome in the past? How can I leverage those experiences to grow and pursue my personal purpose?
4. Are there any limiting beliefs or fears holding me back from embracing my personal purpose? How can I overcome them and nurture a mindset of possibility and growth?
5. How can I cultivate a sense of meaning and purpose in my day-to-day life, even in the simplest of tasks or routines?
Mind + Body Connection
There is nothing more fulfilling than waking up everyday to engage in something you truly love doing. Living a purpose-filled life is the key to finding satisfaction and true happiness. When we have a clear sense of purpose, every action we take becomes meaningful and significant. It gives us direction, guiding our decisions and igniting our passion.
A purpose-filled life allows us to tap into our unique strengths and talents, empowering us to make a positive impact on the world around us. It brings a sense of fulfillment, knowing that our existence is not just about surviving, but about thriving and making a difference.
Sarah Greenberg of Institute of Character examines the health benefits of a purpose driven life in her article The Importance of Living a Purpose-Driven Life.
Individuals with a strong sense of purpose tend to live longer, have healthier hearts, and are more psychologically resilient.
Work can be a great source of meaning, which may explain why retiring early is associated with reduced longevity and a higher risk of dementia. This evidence also shows why we need a sense of purpose that transcends work, so we don't decompensate when our jobs shift, when we take leave, or when we retire. A sense of meaning in one’s work also benefits organizations as employees with a strong sense of purpose work harder and stay longer.
https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/the-importance-of-living-a-purpose-driven-life
If you haven’t already, begin this journey of self discovery and find ways to invite a greater sense of meaning into your life.
Next Steps
1. Reflect on Your Values
A persons sense of purpose and direction is often directly tied to their values, so take time to identify what matters most to you—be it family, creativity, education, or social justice. Consider the moments in your life when you felt the most fulfilled, as these experiences often align closely with your core values.
2. Examine Your Passions
Find time to engage in activities that excite you and bring you joy. Make a list of hobbies, interests, and subjects that you are passionate about, thing about on why these particular activities resonate with you. This can provide clues to areas where you might find purpose.
3. Assess Your Strengths
Everyone has unique strengths and skills. Conduct a self-assessment or seek feedback from friends and colleagues to identify your strengths. Understanding what you are good at can help you align your purpose with your abilities.
4. Set Goals
Once you have a clearer understanding of your values, passions, and strengths, begin setting specific and attainable goals. These goals should reflect what you hope to achieve in alignment with your purpose. Use the SMART criteria—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound—to formulate these goals effectively.
5. Explore Opportunities
Look for opportunities that align with your values, passions, and strengths. This could include volunteering, taking classes, or engaging in community projects. Exploring different paths can provide additional insights into what feels meaningful to you.
6. Seek Inspiration
Read books, attend talks, and engage with mentors who embody a strong sense of purpose. Learning from others can provide motivation and may reveal potential avenues you hadn’t previously considered.
7. Practice Self-Reflection
Regularly set aside time to reflect on your experiences and feelings. Journaling can be an effective way to explore your thoughts about purpose. Consider questions like: What impact do I want to have on the world? How do I want to be remembered?
8. Embrace Flexibility
Understand that your purpose may evolve over time. Be open to change and allow your experiences to shape your understanding of what gives your life meaning. Flexibility is crucial as you grow personally and professionally.
9. Take Action
Once you’ve gained clarity on your purpose, start taking small steps towards it. Take risks and step out of your comfort zone. Action can lead to new experiences, connections, and further insights into your purpose.
10. Evaluate and Adjust
Periodically review your journey to ensure you are still aligned with your purpose. Reflect on your goals and adjust them as necessary. Life is dynamic and staying attuned to these changes can help avoid stagnation.
Finding your personal purpose is not an overnight process, recognize and celebrate small victories, remember to be patient with yourself, and stay committed to exploring what truly matters to you.
Reference
http://lifetrainingonline.com/blog/the-4-elements-of-purpose.htm
https://www.mindtools.com/axcp8p5/personal-mission-statements
https://www.viacharacter.org/topics/articles/the-importance-of-living-a-purpose-driven-life
Further Reading
Victor Strecher, (2016): Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything
Kevin John Delaney (2020): A Life Worth Living: Finding Your Purpose and Daring to Live the Life You've Imagined