Your purpose is who you are, what you are here to do, and why you do it. It is your unique genius. You could think of it as the DNA for how to realize your true potential, do your greatest work, and live your best life. Everyone has a purpose and knowing it is life-changing. I want to help you find it.
The following activity is a starting point from which to engage in the discovery of your purpose. It’s ambitious to expect that a half-hour activity like this will produce a perfectly articulated purpose but you never know:)
Five Questions To Discover Your Purpose
I recommend that you do a five-minute free write about each question. Take more time if you have it.
#1. Your 85th Birthday
Imagine yourself on your 85th birthday. Everyone that will be and has ever been important to you (ex: your life partner, children, parents, grandparents, etc.) are all gathered around you to celebrate you and your life. Everyone is talking about what they love about you and how you have impacted their lives. What would you like them to be saying?
#2. Meaningful Experiences
What are some of the most meaningful experiences of your life? Try to think of 3-5 experiences that stand out. They could be singular events or “chapters” of your life. Why are these experiences so meaningful to you? What are the common themes?
#3. Billboard
Imagine that you could put anything you want on the largest, most prominent billboard in downtown San Francisco. Whatever you choose to put on the billboard will have an impact on millions of people. What would you put on the billboard? Why?
#4. Your Essence
When you walk into a room, what is the quality of presence that you bring into the room? How does your presence impact others? You may think that your presence doesn’t have an impact but everyone’s presence affects the collective field. Everyone carries with them a unique essence, a perfume of their unique qualities of being. It’s okay to guess if you’re not 100% sure. What’s yours?
#5. Life Challenges and Adversity
What challenges have you faced in your life? What adversity have you overcome? What wisdom have you developed through these challenges and adversities?
After answering these questions, reflect on your responses. What themes do you notice? What phrases and words jump out at you? Those are clues about your purpose.
Formulating your purpose statement
If you want, you can try to formulate your insights from the above questions into a purpose statement. Here’s one framework for writing a purpose statement.
I am a/the _____________ (essence) that _______________ (has this impact).
Ex: I am a guide that helps people find their calling.
I know it can feel frustrating to try to articulate a purpose statement. It’s ambitious to answer a few questions and then try to define your purpose. More than I am hoping that you will discover your purpose through this activity, I am hoping that it will catalyze your engagement in a deeper process of purpose discovery. I’d be happy to help.
For the first time in years, I am accepting new one-on-one clients. I am specifically focusing on helping people discover their purpose. Once discovered, we use purpose to take their careers to the next level, become better leaders, and design wildly fulfilling lives. It is a powerful and transformational experience.
You can learn more about purpose coaching and working with me here: https://apaththatfits.com/purpose-coaching/
Wishing you all the best,
Adrian
