Ignite your sense of purpose

"You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." - Albert Camus

Have you ever sat down and thought, “What is my purpose in life? What is my passion? Where do I go from here?” These are some of the most common questions we have all struggled with at one point or another in our lives. I do not claim that I am in a qualified position to answer it — all I can offer is, as I always do, is some questions.

The following are some simple instructions and a list of questions that can assist you in discovering your purpose. They are meant as a guide to help you get into a frame of mind that will be conducive to defining your mission.

- Take out a few sheets of paper and a pen.

- Find a place where you will not be interrupted. Turn off your cell phone.

- Write the answers to each question down. Write the first thing that pops into your head. Write without editing. It’s important to write out your answers rather than just thinking about them.

- Write quickly. Give yourself less than sixty seconds or less to answer each question.

- Be honest. Nobody will read it. Writing without editing is important.

15 Questions to ignite your sense of purpose

1- What makes you smile? Activities, people, events, hobbies, etc...

2- What were your favorite things to do in the past? What about now?

3- What activities make you lose track of time?

4- What makes you feel great about yourself?

5- Who inspires you most? (Anyone you know or do not know. Family, friends, authors, artists, leaders, etc...) Which qualities inspire you in each person?

6- What are you naturally good at? (Skills, abilities, talents, etc...).

7- What do people typically ask you for help with?

8- If you had to teach something, what would you teach and why?

9- What would you massively regret not fully doing, being or having in your life?

10- You are now 90 years old, sitting on a rocking chair on your porch; you can feel the spring breeze gently brushing against your face. You are blissful and happy and are pleased with the beautiful life you have had. Looking back at your life and all that you’ve achieved and acquired, all the relationships you’ve developed in the past; what mattered to you the most? List them all and rank them. What do they say about you?

11- What are your Core Values?

12- What were some challenges, difficulties, and hardships you’ve overcome or are in the process of overcoming? How did you do it?

13- What causes do you firmly believe in, and connect with?

14- If you could get a message across to a large group of people, who would those people be? What would your message be?

15- Given your talents, values, and passions, how could you use these resources to serve, to help, and to contribute? (to people, animals, causes, organization, environment, planet, etc.)

Have you thought about and written the answers to all the above questions? What realizations have you had? What will you do with it? How different do you feel now? How has your perception of your potential changed? What is possible for you from here on? And now, what?