Lewis Carroll said, “If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.” It can’t matter if you haven’t learned how to find your purpose. But if you’re anything like me, you want to know where you’re going. I don’t want to feel like I’m wandering aimlessly. I want to feel like I’m living on a mission.
We don’t have to wander in the dark without a purpose. Do you want to feel like you’re contributing to something bigger than yourself? You can. You can do some things to help you live on a mission. Here are 4 ways to find your purpose.
1. Prayer
We must not treat prayer as a vending machine, inserting requests and seeing what comes out. Instead, we should spend time praying in order to be closer to God. This is part of how to find your purpose. Tim Keller said, “The basic purpose of prayer is not to bend God’s will to mine, but to mold my will into His.” Through prayer, we listen and communicate with God so we know his will rather than seek to rationalize our ideas.
Have you prayed about your purpose?
2. Passion
One of the best ways to find your purpose is by considering what you love. What are you drawn to? What do you value? What causes do you find yourself caring about? What organization do you volunteer for most often? A great question to ask yourself is: What would I do even if I never got paid to do it? Your purpose is always shaped by what you care about. But the point is to be sure your passions aren’t just for money or fame but for things that are worthwhile.
What would you do even if you didn’t get paid to do it?
3. Past
Most of us are shaped greatly by our experiences. These can be positive or negative experiences. You can have such a negative experience that you decide to change something and find your purpose through that experience.
What experiences have you had—good or bad—that have shaped you in unique ways?
4. Partners
If you’ve ever watched a singing competition on TV, then you know the power of having honest friends. You’ve no doubt seen the person who can’t sing try out to be a singer in the competition. The person gets to the stage and the judges must tell him he can’t actually sing. The guy needed a friend to be honest with him. Been wondering how to find your purpose? Honest people partnering with you will help. You need people you can approach and say, “I think this might be a strength of mine; do you see that?” Or “What are some of my strengths that you see?” The point is, seeking wise counsel is one of the best ways to confirm your purpose.
What do others say about your purpose?
What are some other ways that might help a person find his or her purpose? Share in a comment below.
