Affirmation: My purpose becomes clear when I believe in myself.

Purpose creates happiness, helps us to live longer, contributes to our well-being, and makes our lives meaningful. If you are wondering what your purpose is, ask yourself, “What do I love doing and what makes me happy?” The answer can guide you toward how to find your purpose in life.

It’s a personal mission statement of who you are and what you want to accomplish. It can be the reason you get up in the morning energized and can’t wait to start the day. Purposes may need to be redefined because who you are at twenty may not be the same as who you are at fifty. Be open and flexible. Nothing is set in stone. As life changes, so may our purpose.

Tony Robbins states there are two things that prevent us from discovering our purpose—limiting beliefs and certainty. Routines and stability make us feel safe because we know what to expect. But they can also keep us from getting out of our comfort zone and trying something new. We have to change things up and do something different, otherwise we will just keep receiving the same.

“We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish. Believe that and purpose will follow.” — Tony Robbins

Not sure what it is? Here are seven ways to help you discover your destiny.

Create a Love-to-Do List To Find Your Purpose

Here are some prompts to get you started.

·      What do I love talking about?

·      What topics inspire me?

·      What books or articles interest me?

·      What makes me happy?

·      What activities excite me?

·      What did I love to do as a child?

·      What or where do I spend my free time?

·      What or where do I spend my money?

If you love talking about something, this can be a clue to what you are passionate about. Maybe you can incorporate one or two of these into your current work. Sometimes it’s not about looking for something new, but about merging your passion into what you already do. I love talking and learning about mindset, so I started writing about it. Even implementing some of these a few minutes a day or an hour a week can bring in joy.

“If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.” — Bishop T.D. Jakes

Look at the books you read, activities you that interest you, or even your credit card charges. Usually, you spend money on things that make you happy. For me, it’s books. I’m an avid reader, so I will spend money at bookstores often. In fact, if I am out of town, I visit the local bookstore and this makes me happy. Answering these questions can help lead you toward your purpose.

And if you notice in the above questions, they all say “I or me.” This is about you, not someone else. Following someone else’s passion, and not our own, does not lead to happiness or fulfillment. Create your own path to find your purpose!

Believe You Can Do It!

Shift your mindset and drop your limiting beliefs from “I can’t” to “I can.” Or at least, “It’s possible.” We all have that negative chatter spinning around in our minds. Overcome doubts and fears and revise the internal dialogue. The goal is to lessen the noise.

Create an empowering mantra, such as “I can do this.” Also write a statement as if it has already happened, such as “I am a published author,” “I’m a bestselling author,” or “I’ve sold 10,000 books.” Visualize and feel the success. Dream big!

Visualize Your Ideal Life

What does it look like? More time, peace, or happiness? How do you appear in this new life? Higher self-confidence, straighter posture, or more purposeful? How does living this life make you feel? Successful, worthy, capable? Believe and feel yourself are already living it.

Create a vision board of what it looks like. Add empowering words such as strong, confident, creative. Or phrases like, “I can do this,’ “I am a successful writer,” or “I am in control.”

Have a Growth Mindset To Find Your Purpose

Learn new things and get out of your comfort zone. I know this can be uncomfortable, but trying something different brings in fresh experiences that help us discover our passions or even create new ones. Look at challenges as opportunities. Sometimes struggles are necessary for growth and can lead us to a better path.

Take Action But Be Patient

Nothing will happen until you take action. Doing a small step each day will help you achieve your goals. But be patient. They did not build Rome in a day. It may take some time to get you where you want to go, but you can get there with action. When you create a life around something you love, joy can’t help but follow!

Have Self-Compassion

You will make mistakes. Don’t beat yourself up. Be kind and revise your self-talk. Look at setbacks as opportunities. As Thomas Edison stated, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Failure is the road to success. A setback can lead us to an improved outcome. And give yourself credit for how far you have already come. You are amazing. Own it!

Take Time to Breathe 

Take breaks, relax, and reflect. Our down time rejuvenating making us more creative. Turn off the electronics and go for a walk, take a bath or a nap, listen to music, or read a book. (Did I tell you how much I love to read?) A relaxed state can open our minds to new ideas which can help us find our purpose. And when we quiet the internal chatter and reflect, we find more clarity, knowledge, peace, and understanding.

“What you do matters, but how you do it matters even more. Fulfillment lies not in the work itself but in the quality and care you bring to it.” — Dan Millman, The Four Purposes of Life

Follow your heart and listen to your inner wisdom. When you live your purpose, you step into your best life.

Photo by Danica Tanjutco on Unsplash