Self-discovery: 10 Questions to Help You Know Your Purpose
--
Have you ever wondered what your life’s purpose is? What’s that specific thing you are designed and gifted to do and excel exceedingly well at? There’s no denying that every individual has a purpose, even though our goals in life are often not immediately apparent to us.
Finding one’s purpose requires taking intentional steps towards self-reflection and soul-searching, leading to self-discovery. Practising self-reflection allows you to search within your soul and draw beneficial information from your past that can help you discover yourself and identify your purpose.
One of the most effective ways to self-reflect and discover yourself is by asking specific questions while being honest with the answers. Asking the right questions can reveal many things about your personality, including your beliefs, strengths, values, desire, etc., making the path to self-discovery and purpose identification clearer.
When you discover your true life’s purpose and begin to work in the direction of your calling, no force can stop you from excelling and living a happy and fulfilling life. Plus, research shows that people with a sense of purpose tend to live longer and cope with life’s challenges better than those without a sense of purpose.
That said, here are 13 crucial questions you should ask yourself right now to help you figure out your life’s purpose.
1. Who am I?
The first step to determining your life’s purpose is understanding who you are. Can you define your personality in a few lines? There are four basic personality types –sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic. You may need to look deeply within yourself to determine the category you fall under in these personality types.
2. What was the most exciting activity for you as a child?
Think about your 8-year-old self and all the beautiful things you loved to do. You did these things because they genuinely brought joy to your heart, not because someone was watching or because you had to provide for yourself. Being able to find out what those activities are can give you an insight into the path you should be walking and what your life’s purpose is.
3. What activities do I love to do at my leisure?
Adulthood is challenging and tiring, no doubt. But you sometimes engage in specific activities to help you feel relaxed and comfortable. Do you sing at your leisure, or you’d instead write a book? The actions you do at your leisure are often what your body and soul align with and tend to be your purpose.
4. When was the most fulfilling moment in your life so far?
Look back into the past and think about the most fulfilling moment. That moment when you felt like you were already doing everything you wanted to do and weren’t bothered about anything else. What were the activities you engaged in at these times? Remember, your life’s purpose will always make you feel fulfilled and genuinely happy.
5. When did you feel the saddest so far?
Identifying your life’s purpose sometimes involves finding out when you felt down the most and the kind of activities that lifted your mood and inspired you to rise again. Often, our darkest moments reveal so much about our inner self more than the happy times.
6. What kind of people do you feel inclined to?
Naturally, we tend to move with people with whom we share the same thoughts, beliefs, and values. For instance, if you’re born to be a footballer or have a football career, you might spend more time with footballers, reading about them and learning more about the sport.
7. What would you spend your time doing without financial worries?
People with responsibilities tend to feel too scared to pursue their life’s purpose even after identifying it. The financial benefits they get from their regular jobs make them forget about their inner calling, depriving them of true happiness and fulfilment.
Ask yourself today, if I had zero financial worries and could do anything I want to do in life, what would I prefer to spend my time doing? Your answer might be the solution to finding your true purpose.
8. What is that one thing you would do if success is guaranteed
What would you instead do if you were guaranteed success in one thing? Who would you instead become if you knew you had just one guaranteed chance to become anything in life? Sometimes the fear of failure and the unknown future make people settle for less than they were made for.
But when you know nothing is stopping you from succeeding, there’s no limit to how far you will dream. The direction of your dream can indicate your purpose and passion in life.
8. What do people seek your help for?
Whether you know it or not, there are certain things you do better than others. Your family and friends see you as the go-to person for such tasks and always seek your support for it. For example, people may see you as a source of motivation and would be inclined to speak with you whenever they’re down. Thus, you find yourself acting as a coach and motivator for others even when you have never mentioned being one.
9. Who are your mentors? And why?
The people you admire and respect can be a gateway to finding your purpose. Begin by listing people who inspire you and why you admire them. List those things they’ve accomplished that you would also love to achieve. Then start learning about their typical day and what they did to become who they are today.
For example, if Michael Jordan is your mentor, it will probably be because you have a passion for basketball. Find out more about his life and see if it’s something you’re up to. Your mentors and why you choose them can be an eye-opener for your life’s purpose.
10. What do you want to be remembered for?
Finally, what do you want people to remember you for when your time is done? What will your legacy be after your decades on earth? Once you have the answer, you can already tell what you should be doing and your purpose.
Your contributions to the world determine what the world will remember you for, so knowing what you want to be remembered for is an effective way to figure out your purpose and passion.
