Our purpose in life produces a level of happiness that directly benefits our health. Last week, we discussed this phenomenon, and the values to process and define our purpose as individuals. Now, I will share with you some practical insights to equip you to confidently build a statement of your life purpose.
First of all, although it takes time, this can be a very simple process. Whether or not you’ve previously written a methodical statement of your life’s purpose, you have likely used the same process in other ways without even knowing it. Have you ever made a goal? If you have made a goal to accomplish a task, you started with a purpose. For example, if I make a goal to organize my house, my purpose is have a clean house. If I make goals to read so many books over the summer, my purpose is to relax or learn a particular subject during that time. In essence, purpose precedes goals and goals map out the path to our purpose.
Second, we can also define our ultimate purpose in life as well as our purpose for the current season (the present). I am not going to accomplish everything for which I was destined in the next few months or years, but it is still part of the process. So, regardless of limitations I perceive, I want to maximize my potential today. Also, because we are continually learning about life as we live, our life purpose may change! Don’t feel like what you write down is final. Rather, practice putting your thoughts and convictions into words so that you can move toward a defined purpose, which can then be broken down into actionable goals.
This process may actually inspire you to discover your core belief system. Researchers Crumbaugh and Maholick, developed a method to measure our purpose by three basic areas of our life. “The first is whether you believe the universe is simply random or that there is some greater sense of meaning in the universe. The second is whether you believe that your own actions can in some way influence the world. The third is whether your own personal life has meaning or purpose.” [1] (*Follow the link below to take their “Purpose in Life Test.”) These are not easy questions to answer, but will directly impact the effectiveness of this process. Personally, I have found the journey of discovering truth to these questions highly rewarding and freeing! Just like it can be hard to know how to eat healthy, it may be overwhelming to think of why the world was made and how that relates to me today. This confusion can be a barrier that paralyzes OR a catalyst for discovering truth.
When individuals and generations neglect purposeful living, the society will fail to thrive-- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Our purpose defines how we play, work, relate to others, etc. It is the foundation from which we build our thriving lifestyle. I am excited to grow in a community that’s willing to ask hard questions and encourage one another in the discovery of our purpose.
*Resources: http://faculty.fortlewis.edu/burke_b/personality/pil.pdf
[1] http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-mind/mind-body/article/does-your-life-have-purpose