By Brice Hogan
Purpose is defined as the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
The concept of purpose escapes a lot of people because they are not sure where to find it. Most people will go about their everyday lives comfortable not really seeking out their purpose, but the purpose is an individual thing it is about you, it's about what drives you to create the experience you want in life.
In Riche Norton’s book, The Power of Starting Something Stupid, he talks about the Jeff Bezos test. The test is meant to evaluate if what you’re doing is in line with your purpose. Here are the questions:
Will I regret what I am doing when I am eighty
Where do I see myself in 10-15 years and is that where I want to be?
These questions are to prompt us to think, is this really what I want to be doing with my life. Is this the path that is going to produce happiness in my life?
If your answer is no, it’s time to do some soul searching.
Becoming Self-aware
If you don’t know what your purpose or ideal life looks like, you just know that you're not living it yet, there are simple steps you can take to open yourself up to what that may look like.
1. Become self-aware, or that you need to change
Becoming self-aware is extremely critical if you are not aware that you need to change then. You won’t. You are basically locked in an echo chamber reinforcing the same identity and behaviors you have had and that will never lead to lasting change or finding your purpose.
A simple thing to do is ask yourself questions. Questions that help you self-excavate your purpose.
How can I improve?
What Can I learn more about?
Am I happy?
Will I regret this if I don’t do ________?
I discovered my purpose by listening to a talk about 1 percent improvements, and I realized I am not engaging the potential I must be a force for good. So, I started to make changes that would reinforce the identity of becoming a force for good, including starting this blog.
2. Open yourself up to new experiences, thoughts, and role models.
When you open yourself up to new experiences it pushes you out of your comfort zone and no one likes feeling uncomfortable; our minds hate it. In fact, studies show our brains perceive new things that seem dangerous as threats and will put us in a state of fear, so we don’t change.
To avoid those self-sabotaging thoughts, you need to stretch out and fight past those initial impulses to quit or stop. Once you begin exposing yourself to new things and begin to like them, the brain will release a shot of dopamine, the happy hormone, that will reinforce doing that behavior again.
3. Experiment with the process
This is by far the most important part of finding purpose and it is you have to try something and experiment with it. Many want the results of let’s say becoming a billionaire, but we may not like the process.
So, figure out what you like, and try something until it clicks. Because you can decide after giving it a try if it’s for you or not.. And here is the great part about if you find something you don’t like. You will have learned something new during the process and can take those lessons and apply them to your new path.
It takes time
Finding your purpose can take some time its not like all of a sudden you wake up and you know what your purpose is. When I was 15, I had no idea who I wanted to be. I find very few people do. Be patient and persistent though and find the thing that fits you.
Even a year ago at 46, I did not know I wanted to write, start a blog, and see where it took me. It has been a journey up to this point and I have picked up things along the way that have helped me progress and find my purpose.
We all have it in us to be extraordinary people and finding your purpose gives you that opportunity.
As always I try to leave a nugget of knowledge in a video, article, or podcast link below. Hope you enjoy this one.