Why am I here? What am I doing with my life? What is the meaning of it all? Almost everyone will ask these questions at some point in their life. Especially as a young adult or after a significant life change, it’s common to search for your purpose.
Why am I here? What am I doing with my life? What is the meaning of it all? Almost everyone will ask these questions at some point in their life. Especially as a young adult or after a significant life change, it’s common to search for your purpose.
Purpose is the culmination of not just who you are, but what you have to offer and a greater calling that you are uniquely set to serve. Purpose isn’t simply a reason to get up in the morning, or a guiding principle to live your life. Ultimately, once you’ve found your purpose it will still fall on you to act on this calling.
It’s Okay to Feel Lost
In your 20s and 30s, it’s common to spend time figuring things out. After spending a few decades with parents or other caregivers who may have had expectations for you, diving into the “real world” as a young adult can leave you feeling lost. Similarly, after a divorce, job change, or having your own kids move out, you may find yourself wondering what you’re supposed to do now.
It can be difficult to work toward a job or other milestone, only to get there and realize it didn’t make you as happy as you thought it would. While some people are born knowing exactly what they want to do in life, most aren’t. It’s okay to feel lost or unsure about your meaning in life — most everyone has been there at some point or another. Vera Wang, an American fashion designer known today for designing wedding gowns for public figures, was an ice skater and a magazine editor earlier in life. In fact, Vera Wang didn’t become a bridal wear designer until she was 40 years old.
Finding Your Joy Supports Physical Well-being
Why should you bother finding your purpose? Just because you aren’t born knowing exactly what you should do doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out what makes you happy. A 2010 study published in Applied Psychology found that individuals with higher levels of eudaimonic well-being (which involves a sense of purpose, a sense of control, and feeling like what you do is worthwhile) tend to live longer than those with lower levels.
In fact, increased levels of happiness are tied to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure, and better sleep. Further, researchers from UCLA have confirmed that happiness derived from finding your purpose is even more impactful than pleasure-seeking.
Strategies for Finding Your Purpose
It’s only human nature to want answers and, unfortunately, there’s no magic quiz that can tell you what your passion and purpose are. However, through exploration and self-reflection, you can begin to discover what matters most to you.
Extract joy from what you’re doing today.
Look for opportunities within your work life to take more intentional, meaningful, and purposeful actions. How can you take on a role that needs someone such as yourself to enhance and elevate the team? This could include taking the initiative on team bonding exercises, or something more natural, like taking the time to get to know your coworkers and create a better workplace environment.
Explore new things.
Certain experiences can help uncover your purpose. For example, many individuals find a renewed sense of meaning and passion after spending extended time in nature, traveling abroad, or supporting others with acts of service.
Your personal exploration doesn’t have to take you all over the world, though. Try opening yourself up to new ideas and experiences. Say yes to new things and be open to trying something at least once — you never know what you may end up enjoying.
One NextSelf user shared, “Those kinds of practices push me out of my comfort zone and then want to make me learn more about myself that I didn’t know before. Maybe some of the things I do know, but I haven’t seen myself in other people’s perspectives.”
Regularly evaluate your levels of joy.
Check in with yourself regularly to determine how happy you are and how fulfilled you feel by what you’re doing at the moment. It’s a good idea to journal weekly or bi-weekly to document what brought you joy and what you don’t want to continue doing.
Identify patterns in when you’re the happiest. Look for overlap in things you care about. Finding that you kind of enjoy a few similar things may lead you to the one thing you truly love.
Focus on finding what you love.
Sometimes, it can feel like you’ll never find your purpose and it’s easier to settle. Remember that no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to find your passion. By staying true to yourself and looking for what you care about most, you’ll lead yourself to your purpose.
Julia Child, a famous cookbook author and cooking show host, was awful in the kitchen until her early thirties. She spent many years in advertising and media before finding her true passion in cooking. Once she found her purpose, Julia poured all her energy into not just improving her skills but sharing her joy with the world.
Discover Your Purpose with NextSelf
It’s okay not to know exactly what your purpose and passion are today. Finding Purpose on NextSelf walks you through exercises for identifying and following your purpose in a multi-week course you can take right from your phone. Lessons are accompanied by practice activities and community support to keep you motivated. Sign up for the NextSelf beta to begin exploring your true purpose.