Finding Your Life’s Purpose

Take a minute to think about how lucky you are to be living at this time and this place, where you can choose to live your life according to your own desires. This is probably the best time in human history to be alive and to be able to follow your dream. So, what’s stopping you?

Too many people sleepwalk through life, following a conventional path that’s not allowing them to reach their potential or even to be happy. Don’t be that person! Here’s how living with purpose can help you live a full, contented, and prosperous life.

1.     You Can Contribute to A Better World.

Once you realize your life’s purpose, you can choose to step out of the ratrace and make a contribution to a better world. Instead of being caught up in focusing on money, you decide to share more. You can choose to donate your time money and skills to help others in whatever way feels right for you.

2.     You Start from a Better, More Confident Place.

Knowing your life’s purpose gives your confidence a boost because you’ve stopped second-guessing what you should be doing with your life. You know you’re not frittering your opportunities. You're focused on living your best life and allowing yourself to shine.

3.     You’re Grateful for What You Have.

Once you choose to live a meaningful life, you can see how much you already have. Instead of feeling dissatisfied, you are more inclined to be grateful for the things you have right now.

4.     You Are More Resilient.

Living a purposeful life makes it easier to navigate the ups and downs of fortune. You tend to see the bigger picture and setbacks, failures and mistakes become part of the adventure, instead of defining you as a person.

5.     Forgiveness Is Easier.

If you’re focused on your life’s purpose, there is no room for bitterness or holding grudges. It’s easier to let go and to forgive. Of course, injustice, misunderstanding, or disrespect still hurt, but it is easier to face the hurt and to let it go if you’re living an authentic life.

6.     You Live a Healthier Longer Happier Life.

One of the most remarkable effects of living a life with purpose are the benefits it has for your mental, emotional, and physical health. Studies have shown that people who live a meaningful life have better cardiovascular health. They are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and insomnia. There is even research that shows that living with purpose can increase your longevity!

Like most people, you’re probably focused on achieving your goals and making the most of your potential. But maybe you have overlooked something that turns out to be fundamental not just to your success, but to your happiness?

Living with purpose may be more important than you’ve given it credit for. Experts agree that finding meaning, finding, and living your life’s purpose has wide-ranging benefits, some of them a little unexpected.

1.     Purpose Can Help You Focus.

When you have a clear concept of your life’s purpose, it’s easier to focus your energy and your actions on what you want to achieve. You know where you want to go and how to get there. Purpose acts as a guide and a map on how to reach your goals.

2.     Purpose Makes Gratitude Easy.

Living with purpose can help you to feel more contented with your life as it already is. People who are aligned with their life’s purpose report greater satisfaction with their present circumstances because they know they are focused on what they want out of life.

3.     Purpose Sharpens Your Passions.

Knowing your purpose also helps you focus on what fires you up. It helps you to find your passions and go after them.

4.     Purpose Helps You Live in Alignment With Your Values.

Doing the work of your purpose and working out what matters to you in life helps you to align everything you do with your deepest held beliefs and values. Deciding to live a meaningful life means you are not so tempted by the things that will lead you off the path of purpose.

5.     Purpose Makes You A Better Leader.

Having a boss who has a clear vision of where they want to go and how to get there is very inspiring for employees and clients alike. Clarity of purpose inspires trust and respect, and it’s a great motivator.

6.     Purpose Helps You Live Longer.

Perhaps the most unexpected benefit of finding and living your life’s purpose is that it can add years to your life span. Researchers in Japan found that men who had a purpose in their life lived longer than men who didn’t. Knowing your purpose can help you deal better with stress and the ups and downs of life.

People who are living a purposeful life, aligned with their deepest values, tend to worry less and deal with stress and anxiety better. They have better cardiovascular health and suffer less from depression, insomnia, and anxiety.

Some people seem to be born knowing what they want in life. They find their passions or their talents early and just know to go after them. If you’re struggling to work out what is you really want to do with your life, don’t give up.

There are some simple questions you can work through to discover your life’s purpose. While it’s important to give each question proper consideration, try not to agonize over your responses. Allow your Inner Child and your intuition to guide your answers, and don’t forget to think big! Make your starting point ‘in the best of all possible worlds.’

Use these questions to dig deep and find out more about yourself so you can set yourself on your true path.

Question 1. If Money Were No Object, What Would You Do?

If you had a never-ending magic source of money, how would you choose to spend it? Be honest – the answers are there to help you, not to impress anyone else!

Question 2. If You Could Do anything for A Whole Day, How Would You Spend it?

Think of your perfect day. It’s ok if it’s lying on a sun lounger by a pool or skiing in the Alps. Try and describe your ideal day in as much detail as possible.

Question 3. What’s Your Passion?

What energizes you? What gets your heart racing and your imagination firing? It could be political issues, connecting with people, being creative, or playing sports. Whatever your passion is, write it down!

Question 4. What Do You Really Love Doing?

Do you like nothing more than to bake or learn new gourmet techniques? Maybe you love writing or analyzing or even making spreadsheets. Or being out in nature or helping other people.

Question 5. What Was Your Childhood Passion?

Think back to what you loved to do when you were a kid. What did your parents have to call you away from, to come to the dinner table? What was the thing you would lose hours doing?

Close your eyes and remember back to when you were totally absorbed in some kind of activity, maybe drawing or playing make-believe games, or drawing or being outdoors.

Once you have a good picture of what lights you up, both now and when you were a kid, you can start to see some themes emerging. Think laterally about how you can begin to focus on what’s important to you. Your life’s purpose is in there in front of you.

Finding your purpose can be the big thing that changes your life. It’s not a magical cure-all for the things that are maybe not so good in your life right now, but it can turn your attitude, your motivation, and your energy right around. It can be the secret sauce that helps you make those major shifts to upgrade your life, and help to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

Here are four ways your life can change, once you commit to making your own roadmap to your best life.

1.     You’ll Have Abundant Energy.

When you know your life purposes, and you’re committed to going after it, your energy and motivation will soar. You will have a reason to bounce out of bed every morning. Instead of your checklist feeling like a bunch of chores, they will become the steppingstone to achieving your goals.

If you’re usually a couch potato, even going to the gym or for a run makes more sense. You want to be in the best possible shape to be the best possible you!

2.     You’re More Engaged.

Living with purpose means that life is more exciting. You have more drive, and you are more engaged with life than ever before.  There’s no reason to hold yourself back or put off doing the things you want to do. Knowing your purpose helps you align everything and focus on what you want in your life. You’re less likely to agree to things that don’t fit with your purpose or to put off following your dream.

3.     You Will See More Opportunities.

Finding your purpose can help you switch up your ‘life glasses’ - not to rose-colored glasses, but to ones that focus on opportunities all around you.

When you know what you want, things will fall into place, your expectations will change, and you will know which opportunities to go for and which are merely distractions. Instead of your dream being ‘one day maybe,’ it’s front and center. And you’ll be tuned in to look for the synchronicities that life puts in your path.

4.     You Will Feel More Fulfilled.

Knowing and aligning with your life purpose helps you to feel fulfilled straight away. Even before you have achieved your goals, simply knowing you’re set on the right path makes you more contented and grateful for the abundance that's already in your life.

Living with purpose helps sustain you through the tough times, and make the good times all the sweeter.

If you’ve ever felt that whatever you were doing just felt right, that you were in the moment, then you know what it’s like to live in tune with your deepest desires. Living with purpose means that you're aligned with your inner authenticity.

Now science has shown that living with purpose doesn’t just help you reach your goals, it can actually improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. Here are four ways of living with purpose that have been shown to improve your health.

Physical Health Benefits.

Living with purpose has been shown to have a surprising range of benefits for your physical health. Studies in Japan have found that purposeful living has been associated with improved cardiovascular health, and even with greater longevity. A strong sense of purpose has been described as a buffer against mortality across the adult lifespan.

People who have a sense of purpose seem to be able to tolerate pain better and are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and problems with mobility.

Benefits for Your Personal Relationships.

A study conducted in 2009 found that people who felt they led meaningful lives had a more active connection to their loved ones and their community. They were more content with their lives and got on better with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors.

Having a Healthier Retirement.

Retirement is one of the most vulnerable times of your life. Instead of having a job, a career, a business, you're faced with, what? For some people, they have no life outside their work. Research shows that people who have a deep sense of purpose go on to make the most of their retirement, living longer, happier, and more fulfilling lives.

Becoming More Resilient.

Living with purpose does not mean you have fewer life challenges. It does mean that you will weather the storms of life better than someone who has not found their purpose.

Living a life aligned with your deepest values and beliefs builds greater resilience. You find meaning in all the things that happen to you, you feel more in control of your destiny, and you're not crushed by setbacks or failures.

Studies have shown that people with a strong sense of purpose found abundance in their lives, no matter what their current circumstances. Greater resilience means being able to handle stresses without them having a negative impact on your mental and physical health. You will feel calmer, healthier, and happier over a longer life!

There is a fundamental element of succeeding in business that may not be top of mind for you. But if you want to zoom past your competitors, you need to have a very clear vision of why you’re investing yourself in the business. What is it that makes you leap out of bed in the morning, raring to go?

If it’s not clear to you exactly how living purposefully can impact on your business, consider these benefits that have been identified by business experts.

1.     Living with Purpose Helps You Stay in the Game.

No one is going to pretend that succeeding in business is a walk in the park. Being an entrepreneur demands determination, grit, and persistence. When you first start, you have rosy visions of success just out of your grasp. But as all business owners know, unforeseen circumstances, hold-ups, setbacks are all part of the deal, and you have to learn to roll with the punches.

Knowing you’re in the game helps you hang on. Purpose gives you clarity and motivation, no matter what happens.

2.     Living with Purpose Promotes Excellence.

If you know your life’s purpose, you’ll want to give it your best shot every day. You’ll want to surround yourself with the best people, get the best advice, and make the best decisions for your business.

When you know you’re in it for the long haul, clarity of purpose means you make decisions not for short term gain but as an investment in the future.

3.     Your Purpose Can Inspire Others.

Knowing and living your purpose makes for strong, inspiring leadership. People are attracted to work for someone who has a vision and isn’t afraid to go for it.

Living purposefully means you will act with integrity, in alignment with your values. That’s what people look for in a leader, in a mentor. It inspires trust, respect, and confidence.

4.     Clear Purpose Will Attract Clients.

Employees are not the only people attracted by purposeful leadership. Your current and potential clients are looking for someone they can trust. Think about why you choose the business you buy from. What is it about them that makes you part with your hard-earned cash?

Most likely, you trust them, right? And why do clients trust businesses? Because they live their values, their purpose. You know you can depend on them to deliver what you want when you want. And that’s the first step in building a strong, loyal client/business relationship.

If you communicate the why of what you do, your purpose will be the best advertising.

Finding your purpose in life can turn everything around. It can make your life immediately more meaningful, giving you a reason to bound out of bed in the morning instead of grouching your way to the coffee pot.

Living with purpose helps to make the tough times easier to deal with, and the good times even better.

1.     Know Your Beliefs.

Living with purpose starts with understanding your own personal system of values and beliefs. What's important to you? What really matters? When you understand your beliefs, you can start to live by sticking to what's really important in your moral universe. You have an inbuilt list that you can use to guide the way you make decisions and priorities. It is the bedrock of integrity and how others will judge you. Living in alignment with your beliefs will earn you respect and trust.

2.     Get Clarity on Your Priorities.

Your priorities are shaped by your purpose. Once you know your life purpose, it becomes easier to work out what you want to do and how to achieve your goals. This clarity means that saying no to some things and a hearty yes to others becomes more natural, and you’ll get ahead much faster.

3.     Aim for Balance.

Once you’re comfortable with your life purpose, some of the striving and anxiety of life can ease off. You don’t have to work 24/7. You know how important it is to stay healthy, emotionally, and physically. People living with purpose make sure to connect with the people they love, and they don’t forget about self-care.

4.     Follow Your Passion.

Knowing your passion will help you find and nurture your purpose. Passion means energy and motivation; it means really being engaged with life and focusing on getting the most out of it. A new day is full of opportunities and promise, and you’re ready to go for it!

5.     Feel Your Contentment.

This might sound a little surprising, but living a purposeful life gives you time to smell the roses. Knowing your life purpose takes the anxious edge off things and allows you to feel grateful for where you are now, as well as excited for the future.

6.     Live in the Present.

Perhaps the best gift of a life of purpose is that you relish every moment. There’s no room in your life for regret because everything you do is part of the big adventure. Challenges and setbacks become easier to ride out because you’re not letting failure define you. Being plugged into the present allows you to feel the abundance that’s already in your life.

Maybe you’re working hard to achieve your dream life. Perhaps you’re an entrepreneur, or aiming for promotion, or trying to get your business off the ground. If you’re finding success a bit of a struggle, maybe you need to find your life’s purpose to lift you above the pack and change your mindset from struggle to success.

Finding your purpose is like finding a magic key to help you align everything you do and focus on getting to your best life now. Here are five steps to help set you in the right direction.

1.     Look Within.

Too many people look to others for the answers. Too many people follow a path that’s not their path. Only you can know what your dream life looks like. The answer to your life’s purpose lies deep within you. All you have to do is tune into it. Journaling can be a helpful tool to allow your subconscious to speak your truth. Or meditation, or brainstorming. The important thing is that you look into your own heart.

2.     Trust Your Intuition.

Learning to trust that inner voice that tells you that the conventional way of doing things isn’t right for you. Whether it’s a college degree or a selling technique: if it doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to do it! Find your own way of living your life, and you’ll be much more likely to feel content and to be successful.

3.     Get Friendly with Fear.

Many people choose to live safe, conventional lives, too afraid to do things differently or to take a chance. It’s ok to be scared of the unknown. You can choose to face your fears and to lean in to meet challenges head-on.

Deciding to live your own life according to your values and your passion means being able to look fear in the face and step right out of your comfort zone.

4.     Don’t Be Bound by Your To-do List.

It’s easy to become a slave to the never-ending checklist of things you need to do before you can live your purpose. You only get one shot at life.

Have a look at your current list of tasks. How many of them will move you closer to living your best life? How many can you just scrub out or delegate to someone else?

5.     Realize that You Already Have What You Need.

Maybe the most important thing to know that you don’t need expensive courses or workshops, or the right suit or car. You already have everything you need to start living your life’s purpose. It’s all within you. What really matters is what you do with it. And today is the best time to start!