How To Discover Your Life Purpose

How do you discover your real purpose in life? I’m not talking about your job, your daily responsibilities, or even your long-term goals. I mean the real reason why you’re here at all — the very reason you exist.

1. How To Find Your Passion

You were put on this earth to do something wonderful with your life. Your job is to find out what that wonderful thing is and then to throw your whole heart into doing it extremely well.

Your life may have a single purpose, like that of Mother Theresa of Calcutta who devoted her life to helping the poor. Or, your life may have multiple, sequential purposes, one after the other as you evolve and grow and develop into a higher and better person.

Whatever your life purposes are, it is passion that leads to a fulfilling life.

Discover how to find your passion and lead the most fulfilling life possible with the following 10 steps.

2. Understand What Being Passionate Looks Like

When you are passionate about something, you are excited to do it, even if it is difficult or doesn’t bring you a lot of money or notoriety. When you find passion, you will know it because:

• Time seems to fly by and you easily lose track of time when you are doing it.
• You look forward to doing it, including going to work, and you feel excitement when you think about it.
• You don’t mind putting in the time or effort it takes to accomplish what you are trying to achieve.
• It just feels right in both your head and heart, you feel fulfilled, and your well-being is improved.
• You feel a sense of purpose as you pursue your passion.

When you look back on your day, the high points are likely what you are passionate about.

3. Make Your Bucket List

The next step to finding your passion is to make your bucket list.

Most people dream of things they hope to do before they die. This is their bucket list, those things they look forward to in the future that will make them feel they’ve lived complete lives.

Discover what your bucket list is by asking yourself what you have always wanted to do. If money, risk, time, and responsibilities were not issues, what would you do right now that you feel passionate about?

Find your passion by identifying your “someday” items.

4. Decide How You Want To Be Remembered

Now, imagine you have lived your life and the people who have known you are talking about you or thinking of you. How do you want them to remember you? What are the most important things you hope they will say about you?

Imagine yourself in your 90s. What do you want your own memories to be? What regrets would you have if you reached the end of your life — whether that is soon or later — but left something undone?

These important questions help you figure out and become more aware of your true passions.

5. Make A Plan

All great accomplishments begin with a goal, and achieving your goals requires a plan. People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine.

Determine how you will incorporate what you are passionate about into your life. This will likely require some changes to your day-to-day life, how you spend your free time, and what you focus on.

If spending time with your children, friends, family, or loved ones is your passion, add this to your daily or weekly schedule. Set aside time that is only for them and stick to it. Remind yourself to listen with care and focus when they are talking. Be aware of creating good memories with them.

If you are passionate about writing comic books, a novel, or your autobiography, get the advice you need and plan to spend time on your interests.

If you want to start a business, explore new career paths, find a more fulfilling job, or become a public speaker, write out a plan of how you will do this. If it means transitioning from your current job, do it responsibly.

6. Take Action

Now it is time to move beyond thinking about how to find your passion and do it.

You will know your passion when you try it and it feels right. When you take action on your passions, you will have a better understanding of what your passions truly are.

Most people who spend time on their true passions find they learn faster because they are excited to understand a specific subject, pursue an interest, learn a new task, or develop a talent.

To take action requires you to get out of your comfort zone, but the effort of pursuing your passion is worth it.

Surround yourself with people with a similar passion. Add it to your schedule. Create momentum by starting now.

7. Persevere

Challenges will come any time you strive to make a change or do something important. You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.

Expect the challenges, welcome them, and persevere through them. As you do, you will begin to notice that the results are worth the efforts.

Anyone who has ever accomplished something great has had to persevere through times of doubt, adversity, setbacks, and even ridicule.