What made you decide to either get out of bed this morning or stay in it all day? What drove you to go head over heels in debt to obtain that college degree and either use your degree or take a different path? Why did you risk it all for that one relationship, career move, or good time?
The short answer to all of these is simply purpose OR on the flip side, lack of awareness of our purpose. It is the driving force that moves us through life and guides our decisions. Yet, it’s also something that many of us rarely take the time to sit down and clarify. We get so busy in our everyday lives that it seems we’re just sometimes going through the motions of life without any real destination in mind and no real… purpose.
The difference between those who really live passionately and are always on the move to achieve their next ambitious goals and those who just cruise through life, accepting the card that was dealt to them is in this simple concept. Defining our purpose allows us to go places in life and live productively and in a way that brings value and meaning to our life.
For those who have not consciously defined their why, they may be living out a subconscious purpose such as to survive or to please someone in their life, while not really acknowledging that they have so much more within them to contribute to this world. But, for others who have pondered this concept deeply, life takes on a much deeper meaning, and there is always hope around the corner because they have realized something so critical to their experience on earth.
However, it sometimes takes a while to come to the realization of our purpose. Life is a journey with many lessons and discoveries along the road. One thing that helps shape our sense of purpose is understanding our values and aligning our purpose with those.
Sometimes we are headed down a particular life path without having consciously defined it. This can lead to some bumps in the road and moments where we feel lost and confused when life hits us with something unexpected. It’s especially in these times that it’s important to understand how everything fits into the grand scheme of our unique and valuable purpose and hold tightly to it in order to remain focused and steadfast.
Ultimately, it’s important to remember that we have a purpose. We can find it through connecting with others, examining our values, exploring our interests and passions, reading, and keeping a healthy mindset. Through these actions, we will find that our life begins to bear fruit and provides more overall fulfillment.