Discovering your Purpose

Can there possibly be anything more important than understanding, with real clarity, what your purpose here on Earth is?

In this post, I\’d like to offer you some simple suggestions for connecting with your life purpose, based on my own experience. But before I do, let\’s get clear on what life purpose is – and what it isn\’t…

[box type=\”shadow\”]\”Nothing under the sun is ever accidental.\”

– G E Lessing[/box]

Not a goal but a deep rooted driving force

Your life purpose isn\’t a goal, long term or otherwise. It\’s not something that you set out to achieve so much as the overarching effect of all your achievements when you are living on purpose. Your purpose – or authentic inner desire to create a powerful resulting effect from your actions and behaviors is a deep rooted driving force that stays with you throughout life, albeit one that may remain muted for much if not all of your life.

\’Success\’ and Purpose

Some people like to equate living on purpose with the degree of \’success\’ that a person has achieved, assuming that the higher the profile or the greater the celebrity status a person has, the more aligned they are with their purpose.

This is a thoroughly misguided assumption because it is dependent on the definition of success that one applies. Outward manifestations of wealth, prosperity and status have become standard gauges of success in today\’s world – but they are not reliable indicators of someone living life on purpose.

On uncovering their true life purpose, many seemingly influential and highly ‘successful’ people are emotionally shocked when they realize just how far removed from their true purpose their lives had been up until that point.

How true success is measured

Discovering, or connecting with your life purpose, gives a whole new meaning to success. Suddenly, you realise that true success is measured only by how alive, purposeful and motivated you feel inside.

Given our obsession with achieving \’outward\’ success, it is small wonder so many of us have little or no idea of what are true purpose is. Modern day living has deprived us of a few essential ingredients we need to make the connection.

A few simple ingredients

Let me share with you a few simple ingredients that worked for me …

1. Time out

Any good life coach will tell you that before you can really come to terms with who you are, what drives you, what holds you back and what it is you really want, you need to take a little time out…

…Time out, that is, from ‘life as usual’ or your regular energy-sapping routines or day-to-day stresses and demands; time to turn inwards and think deeply and with real clarity.

2. Press \’Pause\’

Once you have resolved to take time out (and you may need to do this a number of times before the puzzle comes together) you need to press the \’pause\’ button on your day-to-day life.

Find a place that’s well removed from where you spend most of your time; a place that feels good – inspiring preferably – and a place where you can be on your own, undistracted by others.

Getting close to nature can be very helpful in shutting out your daily distractions and helping you relax. So walk up a hill, find a secluded spot on the beach, wander into the middle of a park or simply find somewhere peaceful where you can unwind and have a little time to yourself.

When you’re comfortable, tune into your ‘background chatter’. This is the silent discussion that you are having with yourself. It’s quite likely that, at first you may be saying things like: “I really can’t stay long, I’ve got to get back to …” or “I feel quite guilty doing this when I should be doing …” or “I wonder what … would think if he/she could see me now?”

Once you recognize the background chatter for what it is – your ego trying to protect your public façade by trying to force you back into your externally focused world – you’ll begin to be able to quieten it and you’ll start to feel more comfortable, more relaxed and more focused – on you!

3. Observe

As you become more at ease begin to take in your surroundings. Look around you. Notice the array of things around you and their features, their shapes, colours and patterns.

Now listen carefully. What can you hear that you couldn’t before? Take a deep breath through your nose. What unique smells or fragrances can you detect? Touch some of the things around you. Appreciate the complexity of the different textures.

By now you should find that your background chatter has abated and you are significantly more aware of your surroundings – and yourself.

That’s good because at this point it’s time to turn attention to you. It’s time to reflect on who you are and what you really want in life.

4. Reflect

Think carefully about those periods in your life when you felt most alive and vibrant. What were you doing? Why were you doing it?

Think about what it is that makes you proud to be you? What do you love doing. What are you really good at. What brings you joy, energy and vitality?

Think about who you love to be with. Who loves to be with you. Why?

Think about your very core. Go within.

Ask your inner self to reveal why you are here and what role you  are meant to play in the theatre of life.

As you reflect on the true essence of you a picture will hopefully start to emerge about what it is that uniquely defines you and how you can use that to make a meaningful contribution to this world in a way that brings you joy and fulfillment.

5. Question

When the picture becomes clear, it is time to question whether what you are currently doing and how you are currently living your life is serving – or hindering you – in pursuing your life’s purpose.

Ask yourself \”What has to change, so that I can begin to live my life in alignment with my true purpose so that I may experience the joy of authentic success?\”

6. Act

And, finally, you will need to gather up the courage to take responsibility and do the actions that will take you off of your well trodden current path and on to the path that was designed for you.

And in that short sentence lies the subject material for an entirely different article!