How to Find Your Purpose in Life

Do you have a definite purpose in life? Do you wake up excited about what each day holds for you? Are you psyched about what you are contributing to those around you?

By the end of this article, you will be well on your way to finding what you love to do.

Everyone has a definite purpose and a vision for their life that could enrich the lives of others. The key is tuning into that purpose.

Successful people are simply those that find work that inspires and excites them.

This is best illustrated in the following poem…

“When you work simply for yourself or for your own personal gain your mind will seldom rise above the limitations of the undeveloped personal life;

but when you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break bounds; your mind transcends limitations; your consciousness expands in every direction;

and you find yourself in a new world, a great world, a wonderful world; dormant powers, faculties and talents become alive,

and you discover yourself to be a larger man by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”

– Christian D. Larson, Business Psychology, 1912

You are much more likely to be successful if you are working at something you love than if you are simply punching a timecard.

When you are doing what you love, time passes quickly and work feels like play. Doing work you love transforms your life from a chore into a life that you love to wake up to each day.

No person has achieved massive success doing what they hate.

The true key to success (in addition to happiness) is finding what you love and letting your passions guide your career choices…

Most of us have never been taught how to discover our true purpose. In other countries they tell you what to be when you grow up. In America, they only say that you can be anything you want.

A definite purpose is something that you must create for yourself. No one else will create it for you and it will not create itself. What are you going to do about it? And when? And how? Start now to analyze your desires and find out what it is that you wish, then make up your mind to get it.

For that reason, I have created a seven-step process for finding your true purpose in life.

By discovering your purpose, you can start living a life that is full of passion and unlimited energy.

Your purpose statement will guide all that you do and lead you to the quickest path for achieving all of your goals.

Purpose is the key to a life unbound excitement and abundance.

You have something inside of you that you can do better than anyone else, something that will fulfill you more than anything else in life.

YOU are the one that must choose your life’s journey. You only get one ticket.

How will you spend it?

This is one of the most important and empowering questions for you to answer in this lifetime.

The only person that chooses who the best of you is and what you would like to give to the world, is YOU.

The following seven questions will allow you to uncover your purpose. Answer them freely and openly. Don’t question your answers or doubt your responses.

Often the first answer that comes to mind will reveal the most about your true passions and purpose.

Once you discover your purpose, you can redesign your life to be a reflection of that purpose.

Knowing your life purpose has the power to shape every moment of your life.

Living with a core purpose will take your life to a whole new level.

Take some time to answer the next 7 questions. Each one will reveal some important information as to who you are and who you should be.

1. What would you do if you had one day left to live? One week left to live? One month left to live? One year left to live?

Take some time to answer each part of this question.

2. If there was one word you would most like to be remembered as, forever etched on your tombstone. What would that word be. First, create 7 words that you would most like to be remembered by.

Keep in mind that these words may not be the words that currently describe you.

These are the words that you want to embody your life’s story. How do you want to be remembered as?

Now, once you have your seven words, narrow them down to three. You may have some words that are very similar, like kind, compassionate, and thoughtful. You could narrow that group down to thoughtful or even the word friend.

3. You have one paragraph (3-4 sentences) to write what you would like to give in life. Imagine there is one book that remains all through time that records what each person in life gave. What do you want this eternal book to say…

Giving always leads to a greater sense of fulfillment, purpose, and happiness than getting.

4. Imagine now, that you have the opportunity to send a one-sentence message to your great-great-great-great-great grandchildren. What one sentence would you tell them to help guide them through life.

5. If you had a World microphone, what would you say. Anything you say into the microphone is broadcast to the world. You have 3 paragraphs.

6. Who do you admire most in life? Make a list of 5 - 7 people.

7. Complete this sentence: I serve the purpose of…

You should see a recurring theme in your previous answers that will help lead you to writing your purpose statement. To give you an example, here is the purpose statement that I came up with after completing this exercise:

I serve the purpose of helping others live a life full of purpose and fulfillment.

Your purpose statement should be a powerful, condensed statement that is active. Be as specific as possible. Your purpose statement should speak to you as being true, applying to your true self.

Your purpose statement must still hold meaning for you in 10,20,50 years time. Your purpose statement must also coincide with your deepest passion. Passion inspires massive action.

Your purpose statement should embody a journey that goes beyond yourself.

Once you have created your purpose statement, you must now live out that statement in every area of your life. Your purpose statement should guide many of your actions.

Now, let’s dig a little deeper into the answers of your questions. Your answers reveal many of your deepest values and what brings the most fulfillment in life.

Beginning with question number one:

What would you do if you had one day left to live? One week left to live? One month left to live? One year left to live?

Take a look at your answer. Your responses should reveal some of your most deeply held values.

Take a look at the answer you put for the first part of the question. What would you do if you had just one day left to live. This is something you should have done “yesterday”. This is something so important to you in life that there should be no excuse for putting it off. Whatever you put as your response here, this is something you need to deal with today and take action now.

Maybe you put that you would mend a relationship, call an old friend, or finally do something you’ve always dreamed of. Now is the time to do those things. Tomorrow is a day that never comes.

Now look at your responses to the next parts of the questions. These should also reveal some of your most deeply held values. Anything you would do if you had one week left to live should be done this week. Anyting you would do if you had one month left to live should be done this month. Anything you would do if you had one year left to live should be done this year.

Time is our most valued gift. One that many people take for granted. Hopefully this question allowed you to examine your life and find out what’s truly important to you.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the business of life (going to work, picking up the kids, cleaning the house, making dinner….) that we forget to truly enjoy all of the blessing we’ve been given. Let’s begin today with gratitude.

Let’s embrace every moment and live life to the fullest.

Question 2. If there was one word you would most like to be remembered as, forever etched on your tombstone. What would that word be. First, create 7 words that you would most like to be remembered by.

These words tell you about some of your most deeply held values. When I first went through these questions, one of my words was friend because I want to be remembered as someone who was available to others. Someone who would be there when others needed help or just needed someone to listen.

Knowing how I want to be remembered guides my actions and the decisions that I make each day.

That’s why these words are so powerful. They help you to guide your decisions each day that will enable you to become the person you want to be remembered as.

Question 3. You have one paragraph (3-4 sentences) to write what you would like to give in life. Imagine there is one book that remains all through time that records what each person in life gave. What do you want this eternal book to say…

No matter what we do in life, in the end, we always find that it is much more fulfilling to give than it is to receive.

This question allows you to explore what you want to give in life. What you want to leave behind. This is something that will last beyond yourself.

Many people today are chasing after a lifestyle. They’re trying to keep up with the Jones’s. However, this type of lifestyle is often not the one that is the most fulfilling.

Think about it as you go to work each day. Are you benefiting others with the work you do? If so, great! If not, it might be time to look for a career that is more in line with your passions and what you want to contribute to the world.

When you seek a career that coincides with your passion, your purpose, and your contribution to others, that is when you become energized, fulfilled, and passionate about life. Work will no longer seem arduous. You won’t have to wait longingly for the weekend because each day presents new adventures.

It’s up to you how you live the life you’ve been given. You owe it to yourself to live a life that exemplifies your gifts. Your greatest passions can be the greatest gift you give to others.

Question 4. Imagine now, that you have the opportunity to send a one-sentence message to your great-great-great-great-great grandchildren. What one sentence would you tell them to help guide them through life.

When I first answered this question I came up with the slogan:

“Dream Big Dreams”.

This is something that I am extremely passionate about. I think other people are cutting themselves short if they don’t dream big and take massive action to achieve those dreams.

Your answer will reveal an aspect about life that is most important to you.

Question 5. If you had a World microphone, what would you say. Anything you say into the microphone is broadcast to the world. You have 3 paragraphs.

This question will reveal your deepest core values about life. They should guide the way you live each day.

Here is the answer I gave to this question:

Life is what you make of it. Live this day like it’s your last. Enjoy your loved ones today. Send that letter today. Tell someone how you feel about them today.

Embrace the power of now. Embrace the moment you’re living in. Live the life you’ve dreamed of. Dare to dream big and then don’t worry what others might think. You only get one ticket during this world tour. Don’t let someone else choose how you spend it.

Above all, give your best to others. We are what we give in life. Give life your best.

Dare. Dance. Dream.

These paragraphs help me to live by the core values and beliefs that I have made for myself. Your words should do the same for you.

Question 6. Who do you admire most in life? Make a list of 5 - 7 people.

Your response to this question reveals the values and beliefs that you feel are most important in life. It also allows you to model after others.

It’s important to have heroes in life. This is something that young kids do naturally. At a very young age, they begin modeling themselves after others.

Unfortunately, we often stop doing this as we get older.

I encourage you to model yourself after the most admirable qualities you find in others. It can help you to shape your character and live your life at a new level of consciousness.

However, keep in mind that you must not put anyone on a pedestal. Anyone can

let you down. We have to remember in the end that they are only human, just like us!

Question 7. Complete this sentence: I serve the purpose of.….

After exploring these questions, you should find a recurring theme that will lead you to an empowering purpose statement.

This statement will guide your life. It’s like a compass that will lead you down the straightest, most direct path to your goals.

Keep in mind that your purpose must fulfill your needs of survival. It must have the potential to make an income.

Almost any passion can be turned into a revenue stream in today’s economy. The Internet has provided us with unlimited potential. Do you love crafts? Why not sell them on your own website or even on Ebay, which has millions of visitors every day. Are you an excellent gardener? Why not create an information product about gardening that you can sell on the Internet? The possibilities are endless.

Your purpose must also meet your survival needs. Otherwise, your career will not coincide with your passion.

When you have a purpose that really resonates with you, then you will know that you are doing exactly what you should be doing; living with an intense passion each and every day.

When you are living a life of purpose, your self-esteem will sky-rocket. When you are living in your purpose, you are going to feel terrific.

Having a purpose means you are making a difference in the world.