Maybe you feel like you’re supposed to be doing something meaningful with your life, but you just can’t figure out what that something is. Maybe you’ve changed careers, interests, relationships, or goals and are wondering where you’re actually headed. Or maybe you have a general sense of what matters to you, but you’re struggling to put your purpose into words.
If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not alone!
I don’t believe that finding your purpose means discovering one perfect career, title, or predetermined path that you’re supposed to follow for the rest of your life. Purpose can be much more fluid than that. It can have multiple parts. It can evolve as you grow. And sometimes, discovering your purpose is less about finding an answer and more about uncovering the clues that have been there all along.
A few places to start are by looking at your pain, your passion, and your desire to contribute.
What Does Purpose Mean?
Purpose can mean something different to everyone. For some people, purpose is connected to their career or the work they feel called to do. For others, it may be connected to raising a family, creating art, serving their community, helping others, learning, teaching, or simply living in a way that feels deeply aligned with who they are.
At its core, purpose can be thought of as a sense of meaning and direction—a feeling that there is something you want to experience, create, contribute, or give during your time here on Earth.
And your purpose doesn’t necessarily have to fit into one neat category. You might have a purpose as a parent, another purpose through your career, another through your creativity, and another through the way you show up for the people around you. You are a whole person after all, so it makes sense that your purpose can be multifaceted, too.
Your Purpose Can Change as You Change
Speaking of multifaceted… One of the biggest misconceptions about finding your purpose is that there is one magical answer you’re supposed to discover.
But what if purpose isn’t fixed? Think about how much you’ve changed throughout your life. The things you cared about at fifteen probably aren’t exactly the things you care about now. Your experiences have shaped you. Your priorities have changed. You’ve learned things. You’ve healed from things. You’ve discovered new interests.
So, it makes sense that your sense of purpose might evolve, too. That you don’t have to find one purpose and spend the rest of your life doing exactly that thing. Instead, think of purpose as something you can continue to uncover throughout different seasons of your life.
Look at Your Pain
One of the most powerful places to look when you’re trying to discover your purpose is your own life experiences.
Ask yourself: What have I struggled with? What experiences have caused you pain? What obstacles have you had to overcome? What lessons have you learned the hard way?
This doesn’t mean that everything painful that has happened to you was “meant to happen” or that your suffering automatically gives you a purpose. Rather, difficult experiences can reveal what you care deeply about.
Maybe you struggled with feeling insecure and now you’re passionate about helping people develop confidence. Maybe you experienced loneliness and now you want to create community. Maybe you struggled financially and now you’re passionate about financial education. Maybe you went through a difficult health journey and became deeply interested in wellness.
In other words, your pain can become a source of insight. And sometimes, the things you’ve worked through become things you’re uniquely equipped to help someone else navigate.
Look at Your Passions
Next, look at what you’re naturally drawn toward.
Ask yourself: What makes me feel alive? What subjects could I talk about for hours? What do I find nyself researching even when nobody is asking me to? What activities make me lose track of time? What problems do I genuinely care about solving?
Your answers about your passions are clues. They don’t necessarily tell you exactly what your purpose is, but they can point you toward areas of life that feel meaningful to you.
And you don’t have to turn every passion into a career. Something can be meaningful without becoming your job. The goal isn’t to monetize everything you love. The goal is to pay attention to what consistently sparks your curiosity, energy, compassion, or excitement.
Where Do Your Pain and Passion Overlap?
Now comes the interesting part. Take the things you’ve experienced and the things you’re passionate about and put them side by side. Is there any overlap?
Maybe you’ve experienced something difficult, worked through it, and developed a passion for helping other people through something similar? That intersection can be a powerful clue toward your purpose.
For example, someone who struggled with body image might develop a passion for helping others build a healthier relationship with movement.
Someone who experienced grief might become passionate about supporting others through loss. Someone who struggled to find their voice might become a writer, speaker, teacher, or mentor.
Again, this isn’t a formula. Your purpose doesn’t have to come from your pain. But your experiences can give you perspective that you wouldn’t otherwise have.
How to Bring Your Passion to Life
And, finally, purpose isn’t only about what you’ve experienced or what you’re passionate about. It’s also about what you want to do with those things.
Ask yourself: How can I use what I’ve learned to contribute to someone else’s life?
Think about your:
- Experiences
- Skills
- Knowledge
- Talents
- Interests
- Values
- Perspective
- Natural strengths
You might discover that something you’ve been through has given you a perspective that someone else needs. Your purpose may not be to “save” people or fix their problems. It may simply be to create something, teach something, encourage someone, make people feel less alone, or contribute something meaningful to the world.
What If You Still Don’t Know Your Purpose?
What if you’ve thought about all of this and still have absolutely no idea what your purpose is? That’s okay. You don’t need to force an answer. Sometimes, purpose becomes clearer through action rather than overthinking.
So, for you…
- Try something new.
- Volunteer.
- Take a class.
- Start journaling.
- Travel somewhere you’ve never been.
- Spend more time in nature.
- Talk to people who inspire you.
- Explore an interest you’ve been putting off.
- Create something.
- Help someone.
And, when doing these things, pay attention to what gives you energy and what drains you.
Journal Prompts on Finding Your Purpose
If you’re ready to explore your purpose more deeply, grab a journal and spend some time with these questions. Don’t worry about coming up with perfect answers. Let yourself write honestly.
1. What does purpose mean to me?
Before trying to discover your purpose, define what purpose actually means to you.
2. Why is it important to me to find my purpose?
What do you believe will change if you discover it?
3. What experiences have brought me the most pain? And what have those experiences taught me?
Write about difficult experiences, challenges, obstacles, or seasons of your life. What did you learn about yourself, other people, or life?
4. What am I deeply passionate about? Or makes me feel most alive?
What interests, causes, activities, or subjects consistently capture your attention? Think beyond productivity. What makes you feel connected, energized, present, or fulfilled?
5. What do people naturally come to me for help with?
Sometimes other people can see our strengths before we recognize them ourselves.
6. What is one thing I could explore next?
Purpose doesn’t have to be a five-year plan. Choose one next step in the direction that feels most aligned.
These questions should help you gain some clarity. And please remember that purpose may not be something you find overnight. It may be something you uncover, one clue at a time. So if you’re still asking yourself, “What am I here to do?”That’s okay. You don’t have to know the entire path to begin walking it!
If you have any questions or want support in your self-development journey, feel free to email us itsallwithheart@gmail.com or explore our journaling workshops and coaching programs. You can also check out additional, free resources of ours, like our Spotify Podcast, our Founder's Instagram Page, and our Youtube Channel.
With love and pumping blood,
The Heartbeat