Purpose is oft times used to portray any individual’s life mission. Some persons believe that purpose is the reason for man’s existence while others believe that purpose is the intention behind a man’s actions. In my last post on the subject Purpose: The Guiding Star of My Life, I talked about the reasons everyone should strive to discover their life’s purpose.
Finding purpose brings clarity and great meaning to a person’s life that it would be an understatement to describe a person without purpose as lost.
But first, let me share a story with you:
Growing up, I always loved teaching so I know my purpose must have something to do with educating, so I started organizing lessons and tutorials for young children around me. I would teach them for hours, just to enlighten them.
Despite all these, I still felt incomplete. I felt like I could be do “more” but I didn’t know what the “more” was, and I didn’t have an idea on how to find the “more” I should be doing. Like me then, a lot of people do not know what and how to find the “more” they should be doing. Consequently, they find themselves in a state of confusion and emptiness – they feel incomplete.
This “more” is the purpose. Your purpose is the more that completes your career. Until you find what triggers your passion, you remain void, and feel morose.
Finding purpose is so important that it is indispensable. It is your guiding star, driving force and power for greater good.
Here are some practical tips that can guide you in finding your purpose in life.
Listen to God
Every man has been created with a purpose on Earth by God, just like a manufacturer creates a product with an intention to serve a particular purpose. To know your purpose, you must listen to God. Know what God whispers to you about your life and know what He plans for you to do. This will help you get your direction and your ordained path.
Listen to your heart
Ask yourself the following questions and from the answers, take actionable steps that lead you in the direction of finding your Purpose:
• What do I love doing?
• What comes easily to me at all times?
• When am I most happy?
Knowing the answers to these questions is the holy grail to purpose discovery.
I love writing and teaching. And writing is natural to me.
I am most happy when I empower, embolden, and inspire people using my words either by writing or classroom teaching.
These questions make it easier to know where and what you should be doing.
Listen to your Passion
Now that you have the answers to the questions of your heart, start working your plans – act. I had the answers to the questions of my heart when I saw many young people going down the path of least opportunity because they didn’t know better. It was then that I realized that my love for teaching came from a need to impact other people’s lives and guiding them right, giving them hope and inspiring positive action.
Evaluate your result from the first 3 steps
Once again ask yourself these questions to find out if you are on the right path:
• Can I do this Forever?
• How happy am I with this path I have taken?
• Even if I am not paid for this, can I still do this happily?
• What can I sacrifice to continue this path?
• What drives me now?
The answers to these questions define where you stand with your purpose.
Focus on your purpose and you will find more clarity as time goes on
Discovering purpose is not a day’s Job. You cannot get it all at once. After the first four steps here, focus on the purpose and the message you carry, and see things become clearer. You will understand why your purpose deserves all the levity.
Finding purpose is a magnificent discovery. It makes you tune in and you learn that you cannot be indifferent to people when you find your life’s purpose because you learn that the destinies of other people are intertwined with your own and as such your purpose is duty.
So, after finding purpose, the next question is ‘How can I develop and advance this purpose? How do I start? Am I not too late or too old?
Do not be afraid. I will be answering these questions in my next post about PURPOSE, be expectant.
