When life is changing around you and you are searching for something to guide your life or professional journey, focus on what engages you. Perhaps it’s how you make a difference for others, something that feeds your soul, or an idea that motivates, energizes, and fulfills you. Having a clear sense of this point on the horizon will help you navigate future choices and decisions in ways that keep you on track as you lean forward in your life.
The search for your purpose, your guiding force, can be challenging. You want your purpose to pop into clarity all at once, but that’s usually not how it works. At first the core idea within your purpose will show itself in clues and wisps of passing thoughts. Watch and listen for hints as you explore the topics, experiences, and skills you enjoy most.
As you embark on this quest to reveal your purpose, the point on the horizon that will guide you going forward, keep these tips in mind:
- Your first idea is rarely your best idea. When an exciting idea flashes into your mind, don’t jump into action immediately. Write your idea down in as much detail as you can discern. Then keep exploring that idea and related alternatives to discover what else becomes clear to you. Variations on the same theme or an entirely new idea may come into focus next.
- Notice how you feel when you consider the ideas you generate. Choosing your focus is not a purely logical process. It’s not about following through on what you think you should do. It’s about noticing where you are drawn to engage, where you are pulled to move forward. When you feel a strong energetic connection to an idea, notice what aspect of your idea makes you feel whole and most at home. Then you know you are on to something! When you have a genuine bond with an idea, it will continue to inspire you and motivate you into the future.
- Your purpose is rarely based on just one idea. If you don’t feel comfortable choosing one of your ideas over the others, that’s a sign that each idea contributes to your purpose. Explore creative, innovative ways to weave those ideas together to generate an even stronger version.
- Hold your idea lightly. Imagine holding your new focus in your hand like you would a butterfly. With intention and a gentle touch, give your potential purpose space to develop, grow, morph, and evolve as you gain more experience and information. Be open to exploring new iterations of your purpose. You never know when something new will come into focus that uplevels your original idea.
- Write your core idea down every week for a month. Although you think you have your vision for the future all figured out, it’s likely you know more now than you think you do! Be as specific and detailed as you can in your description. Make a diagram. Create a list of bullets. Draw a picture of your idea. If you prefer to talk through your ideas, grab your phone to record your thoughts or share your ideas with a trusted friend. By engaging with your ideas, you’ll begin to see nuances and connections that you didn’t see when you first thought of your idea.
- If you feel uneasy about any part of your idea, take a deeper look. What is it about this version of your vision that isn’t feeling right? Can you identify the source of your hesitation or discomfort? Is there a detail you could nudge this way or that way to make this purpose feel like a better match for you? Always remember, it’s your idea, you can evolve it any way you want until it feels like a fit for you.
Identifying a purpose that holds deep meaning for you is the result of an intentional journey. During your quest, trust yourself and the process of discovery to surface ideas that bring you alive, feed your soul, and delight you.
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