Life never goes to plan, does it? It doesn’t matter how prepared you are, how organized, how much planning you’ve done – there’s always a curve ball. We are all searching for our purpose and trying our best to live it. Unfortunately, it isn’t always as simple as that. In truth, the true purpose for all of us is to experience wholeness. Yet, the only way to create a whole and fulfilled person is through discovering your purpose.
For some, the belief is that their purpose is to discover happiness. Happiness isn’t life’s sole purpose, though, it’s a byproduct of living your purpose. If happiness was truly our purpose, more people would feel fulfilled, wouldn’t they?
We have so many opportunities available to us now, and we’re more connected thanks to the internet. Yet, so many of us are still filled with disappointment and living unfulfilled lives. So, even though life is better for a lot of us, it’s not really better. Your living condition may have improved, but your needs are not really being met.
With all the improved conditions that we experience, we still face financial problems, we are still working longer hours, and we still have to balance family, work, and friends. Then, there’s the environmental problems and societal issues that we face. With so much of your happiness tied to external needs, how will you ever find happiness? You won’t.
If happiness isn’t your life’s main aim, then what is?
Perhaps, it’s to experience your whole self and in that, you will find fulfillment. That ties in perfectly with the fact that life never goes to plan. In life, you will experience disappointments, you will go through periods of pain, and you will have heartache and heartbreak. These experiences, though, are just tiny blips on the radar screen of your overall life’s journey. So, how can you complete yourself and find fulfillment? It means finding your purpose.
Every choice that you make is an invitation. An invitation to navigate your life in a way that honors your wants, needs, and who you are as a person. Those choices should align with your core values, and if you don’t know what those are, if you don’t know what your purpose is, then it is difficult to do that.
Life is a challenge, and if you just make it up as you go and hope for the best, then you will experience more heartache than most. Your life will turn out better when you are conscious of who you are and informed.
In order to experience wholeness and fulfillment, you should feel willing to embrace new experiences and go out of your way to learn something new each day. This will encourage growth and you can evolve as a person. At certain points in your life, you can look back and see that all of these experiences were crucial, perhaps necessary, in helping shape who you are as a person.
Finding Purpose And Fulfillment
There are a lot of people in the world who are living a life of deficiency. That deficiency lies in their life’s purpose. We already discussed how we live in a world of opportunity. How can you grab those opportunities if you don’t really know what it is you’re supposed to be doing?
It’s so difficult to chase your dreams and live your purpose when so many people are standing by to poo-poo them. That means that many of us are stuck in jobs that we hate because they don’t really fit who we are. We are sacrificing our fulfillment by continuing on. We are essentially throwing away our lives and in return, there is no wholeness. That all changes today. Today is your opportunity to discover your purpose.
Your purpose isn’t something that will reveal itself to you in a dream. Your purpose is easier than that. It comes down to an idea, your decisions, and your passion. Your childhood was littered with ideas, we are so imaginative and creative as children.
You probably played games with friends (or yourself) where you role-played as a parent, a police officer, an astronaut, a rock star, a cashier, even a politician. There wasn’t any role that you couldn’t play, that is… until someone stomps in and rains on your parade, telling you that you can’t be that.
We have all been there. You have a dream, whether it’s to act, write or even be a singer. You believe in that dream, wholeheartedly and then someone close to you suggests you find a future that is more attainable. J.K. Rowling went to university and completed her degree because it was what her parents wanted for her.
When she started writing the first Harry Potter book she was living on public assistance as a single mom. She knew what her passion was, and despite that, she allowed the voices of others to drown out her inner voice.
Sure, it may feel unrealistic to think that you’re going to be a singer. However, not all singers are millionaires who tour stadiums. You can fulfill that dream in the studio, on the small stage or in a wide range of different ways. The same goes for acting.
When you tell people, you want to be an actor people immediately conjure up a photo of award season and red carpets. In truth, the average annual salary for a Screen Actor’s Guild member is just over $50,000. So, you can fulfill your purpose without taking it to the dizzying heights that the people in your life are poo-pooing.
If you truly believe that you have identified your purpose, you shouldn’t let any voices drown out your inner voice.
If you want to uncover your purpose, then you must be prepared to explore those ideas from your childhood. It doesn’t matter what stage of life you are in, it’s not too late to start writing yourself a new story.
How to get started with determining your purpose
- Think about what you would do with your life if you could do anything and there was no risk of failure.
- What would you love to do every single day of your life?
- What strengths, skills, and talents do you have that will help people?
It really doesn’t matter whether you have existing experience in the ideas you come up with. What’s important is that you know you love the sound of it. You can worry about the rest later.
The Problem With Passion
Then, there’s the passion. The problem many people face is understanding what passion really is. You may feel really passionate about something, then someone tells you that you don’t look or sound passionate and you are questioning everything. Passion doesn’t mean that you’re bouncing around the room like Tigger. It doesn’t mean that you’re on fire, with a racing heart, sweat dripping from your brow and obsessed.
There is something deeper involved with passion, passion is long-term. It grows, and it doesn’t give up. It isn’t a phase that you’re going through that you’ll ditch when it gets boring. More importantly, we all express passion differently. So, don’t assume that your passion is false just because someone else does appear to be smoking with passion.
Passion means patience, it means you care, it means that even when there is no reward you will do it because it brings you pleasure. It means growth and it means that you’re in this for the long-term. If you have that, then you are one decision away from truly living your purpose.
Don’t Let Time Run Out
As we get older, time seems to move quicker. The truth is, we all have the same 24 hours each day, but with age comes wisdom. We realize that time is running out for us to do something that truly matters to us. So, the decision stage of this process is the most difficult. It’s when your adult brain comes in and starts to panic about it all.
The ideas you had when you were a child, they’re still there. It’s just that you let all those other voices drown it all out. Your passion, your purpose, it’s there… it’s just waiting for you to find it, and use it. The decision is choosing to do. What is the point of discovering your purpose if you aren’t prepared to act on it?
So many of us have failed to grow up. What that means is that despite the fact that they carry an adult body, they are still letting everyone else tell them what to do. They wake up and go to a job that doesn’t fit. They don’t make the decisions that they really want to because they let others block their possibility of being of whole. It’s not fair, is it? Is that the life that you’ve been leading?
When you make your decision, what you are doing is removing any other option. You might have the skills to be successful in a number of industries or positions. What makes you want to finish? Not through obligation, but through want. What is standing between you and the decision to fulfill your purpose and create a whole person?
The Importance Of Purpose
So, why is purpose so important? Life should be meaningful, shouldn’t it? You invest a lot of energy into your life, imagine how much more efficient your energy usage would be if it was connecting you to your purpose and ultimately, yourself?
Unfortunately, a lot of us have been tricked into believing that a meaningful life is one that is filled with material items. Having the newest phone might be cool for a brief period in time, but it doesn’t take long for you to grow bored of it.
Sure, you’ll still be glued to social media, but the buzz wears off and you could have done the same stuff on your old phone. A meaningful life shouldn’t be stressful or demanding, it should be pleasurable. You shouldn’t feel pushed to work long hours just so you can buy a new car. Purpose means patience. Your gratification may be delayed, but it’s an important part of being whole.
A Meaningful Life
The biggest aspect of a meaningful life is how it connects to living purpose. It’s about making a positive contribution and growing both personally and spiritually. It means that you contribute to society, all while feeding your whole self and finding fulfillment. The key?
Live your best life in the now. The only way to do that is to realize your purpose now and stop trying to leave it to your future self. So, if you have always wanted to write a novel, what are you waiting for? Instead of putting it off for another just start writing!
Schedule it into your day and make time for it just like you do everything else in your life. It won’t be easy, but if it’s your purpose… you will do it!
At the end of every day, you can ask whether you lived your purpose. If your answer is no, then you can change it tomorrow. It’s a continual journey, it doesn’t stop. Your purpose is a never-ending opportunity to dig in deep and get to know yourself. In that, you will reach new heights – and more importantly, you will be working to create a whole and fulfilled person. No one wants to lead a life of regret.
16 Steps To Live Your Purpose And Find Fulfillment
- Prioritize. If you can’t prioritize your time, then how will you be able to do something meaningful with your day? It might seem crazy, but if you want to fulfill your purpose, then you’re going to need to learn time management and how to prioritize.
- Relationship Building. The relationships that you build are more meaningful than the possessions that you own. Your car can’t hug you and a massive television can’t offer you a shoulder to cry on after a difficult day. Your friends can, though. Just consider the impact that you can have on their lives, too.
- Give Back. Nothing should stop you from investing in your future and yourself. However, you shouldn’t stop there. There are other aspects of your life that you should pursue. One of the best ways to do that is to give back and serve others.
- Accountability. Where would you be without accountability? You should hold yourself accountable, for both your actions and your words. When you take responsibility for your behavior the people around you tend to do the same. You should think before you speak, and consider the potential consequences before you act.
- Discipline. This isn’t just for your professional life, it should also be something you apply in your personal life. Discipline is part of becoming your whole self. It will help you avoid the wrong decision and assist you in achieving your goals.
- Distance Yourself From Hate. You may think your hatred is fueling you, but the only one who will get burned is you. Life is far too short to allow hate space. It will exhaust you.
- Forgive. You should always be quick to forgive, both others and yourself. Just because you forgive others doesn’t mean that you need to forge a relationship with them. Forgiving others is more for you than it is for others. Forgiving yourself means you have more energy and space for love and acceptance.
- Family First Always. This doesn’t have to mean your blood relations, if there are toxic family members you shouldn’t feel the need to embrace them. Whether your family ties are blood or water, you should always make time for them. Yes, they rely on you and it’s important to make time for you and your interests. Just remember, they have your back.
- Dream Chaser. If you have a dream, then you need to chase it no matter what. The most important thing, though, is that you make sure you pursue the right ones. Will it add value to others? Or to your life? Your dreams should fall in line with your purpose.
- Let Go. It isn’t easy to do, but it’s important that you learn how to let go. Some things just aren’t within your control, and if you try to hold on too tight you will just drive yourself crazy.
- Pursue Passion. Don’t be afraid to jump outside of your comfort zone. The world is a massive place and in the scheme of things, you’re living a small life. That doesn’t mean that you can’t create change or make a positive impact.
- Role Model. Be the change. It’s an opportunity that we all have, and in every aspect of your life. To be a role model, to lead by example, you must first show consistency in your character. Actions speak much louder than any words.
- Guardian Angel. Stand up for the people who don’t have an equal voice. If you possess privilege, then you should do something with it. Don’t just watch, do something.
- Baby Steps. Commit to improving yourself just a little bit every single day. Think about it, if you make a small improvement every day by the end of the year you will have made a massive leap. The only way to improve is through learning, accepting and giving feedback, and reflecting on past experiences. Then, action.
- No Regrets. You probably think about the regrets you have, something you wish you hadn’t said, a date you wish you’d never gone on. What’s worse – regretting something you did or something that you didn’t do? You can change both. You can think before you speak, you can consider others before you act, and you can push yourself to act on your purpose and passion. While it’s impossible to live a life with no regrets, you can mitigate those regrets when you are mindful.
- The Purpose. There can be no passion without purpose and purpose is empty without passion. How can you inspire others or be an effective leader without purpose and passion? Leading a life that is driven by purpose is living a whole life and achieving fulfillment. So, if you want to be a whole and fulfilled person, you need to identify your purpose and act on it first.
Final Thoughts
So, what is the role of purpose in creating a whole and fulfilled person? It’s everything. Without purpose, you cannot create a whole and fulfilled person. Without fulfillment, there can be no true happiness.
When you hear people talking about finding their purpose and living an authentic life, that’s what they are talking about. They’re talking about creating a life where they feel fulfilled and whole. It’s nothing to turn your nose up. At the end of the day, this is what we should all be doing. We should all be so focused on living authentically.
Have you discovered your purpose yet?
If not, what is stopping you? If you knew how fulfilling it could be, you wouldn’t put it off anymore. You have taken the time to read this, and now it’s time to take it a step further and identify your own purpose.
Once you have your purpose nailed down, you can take the necessary steps to line your life up with that. Think about the decisions that you make every day. How can you make the right decision if you don’t know what your values and purpose are? It’s all connected.
Your values dictate your purpose, and your purpose should dictate your decisions. If your decisions don’t line up with your values and purpose, then you are leading yourself away from wholeness. So, you can see just how vital purpose is in creating a whole and fulfilled person.
It’s literally the most important thing. If it’s fulfillment and wholeness that you are looking for, the first step is to discover your purpose. From there, the sky is the limit. What are you waiting for?
