Discovering Life Purpose

Do not wish to be anything but who you are, and strive to be that perfectly. – St. Francis de Sales

Everyone has a reason for being, a focus, a life purpose. Each of us has greatness that we have to bring out. And as we focus on our life journey, we are given what we need to help us on our way. We give and we get. But many do not even know that they are on a journey with a purpose. Others wish they could find the way.

Discovering life purpose is a way of travelling, not a destination to be arrived at. The process of evolving yourself is your life purpose; the service you offer humanity is your life work. Always there are new horizons, new vistas. Discover them by saying to yourself:

“I have something significant yet to accomplish.
I have something to give, something to get, something to learn, something to teach.”

Discovering life purpose is like doing a jigsaw puzzle. The puzzle comes from a box that has your name on it, but with a blank space on the lid where you expected to find the completed picture. In fact, the picture on the lid of the box is not really missing. You are supposed to create it yourself. Discover your life purpose from within. Only you can discover your life purpose. If someone else tells you what your life purpose is, then it cannot be yours! Others can be helpful and provide clues, but only you can find the answers. Begin by deciding that you want to discover your life purpose. Decide that you have a destiny and that you are going to seek it.

This decision changes your situation immediately. From now on every moment is designed to help bring out the greatness within you and to move you as quickly and easily as possible on your quest for your destiny. No matter where you are in your life, you will be shown the easiest way towards your destiny. Life becomes a school. Imagine how you would care for a six-year-old child – always protecting them yet leaving them the space to learn the lessons they have to master. So, too, you will be looked after and helped.

When we are young, all we experience are pieces of the puzzle scattered on the floor. As we grow older we are able to discover the edge and corner pieces and put them together. We assemble some of the pieces into groups – trees go here, houses there, blue sky at the top, lake down on the left. Then, just when we think we have discovered what the picture might be and everything seems to be falling into place, along comes a life crisis. We discover that all is not what it seems. Do not be dismayed, for nothing is wasted. What seemed like a crisis is really a wake up call. The big section of blue sky that never seemed to fit correctly can be moved down to the lake, where it naturally belongs. All pieces of the puzzle are part of our life purpose in some way, even if we don’t get the full picture at first. Each situation requires that we take responsibility for being there, and ask ourselves, “What lesson can I learn from this? What simple next step can I take now?” Your life will change dramatically. The change may take place imperceptibly, yet in time you will be a very different person. During this stage of the journey you are getting your life in order. You need to be in the right frame of mind to carry out your life work. Your life needs to be balanced and working well. Your personal issues need to be addressed so that you can focus on fulfilling your life purpose through doing your life work. Let WeQ Consulting Services help you get your life in order.

This article is adapted from Chapter 1 of “How To Lead and Still Have a Life” by Ian Johnson, Karen Scraba and Christine DeGrow