5 Questions That Help You Find Your Life Purpose

Many people tend to get confused, often in the middle of their adulthood, as to their purpose in life. And as the quintessential question remains unanswered, the more disturbing life gets. After all, human beings can only be at peace when they do things that are in accordance with their nature and instincts. I am listing out a few questions that can help you figure out your purpose in life.

1. What Have Been Your Longest Desires?

There are some desires that have existed deep within our hearts for a very long time. Knowing what those deepest desires are and learning to accept them is the first stage in identifying ‘the purpose’. Most people generally tend to subdue such desires replacing it with the life of a 9 to 5 employee.

And this can eventually cause one to live an unfulfilled existence since he/she is essentially living a life they do not like. The only way out of such a situation is to bring your deep desires up to the surface and start working on them. This would bring out a profound satisfaction that will begin to transform your everyday life.

For example, if you have been dreaming of becoming a painter since childhood, then you should try joining a few painting classes and hone your talents. If you are busy, sign up for some online classes which can be attended during your free time. As you spend more time on your painting, you’ll feel that you’ve started to enjoy life more since you are no longer suppressing an innate desire.

2. What Hobbies Do You Spend Your Most Time On?

This is an important question to consider. Prepare a list of hobbies on which you spend most of your time. Look at the list and find out your favorite hobby. We can consider this as one of your passions. After all, if you are willing to spend so much time on something, then it must be because you are totally into it, either knowingly or unknowingly.

This will let you know what you should aim for in life, professionally or personally. For example, if you see that you spend most of your time tracking updates about NBA, then you should ideally look for a job of a content producer where you are tasked with posting latest news about the game.

3. What Would You Change If You Were to Die a Year From Now?   

Imagine that you will be dying a year from now. What are the things you would want to do within the remaining year? Write them down. Maybe you want to travel to a few places but never had the time or you want to spend the remaining time with your closest family members.

Whatever it may be, look for things which you want to do the most. Those things can be considered as your driving force. Changing your life to adopt it will only enable you to live a happier life. For example, if you think that you will choose to give up all your wealth in the final year so that the needy can have a helping hand, then you should try and include a few charity programs in your life as that’s your purpose.

4. What Will Make You Give Up Your Current Career?

If you have a successful career but are not satisfied, then ask yourself what will make you give up this career. What activity could be so appealing to you that you will be ready to leave the financial safety provided by your career just so you can be a part of that activity? Maybe you work as an investment banker at a major financial company and have always been interested in acting.

Now, ask yourself, if a small acting gig were to come your way with the possibility of larger roles in the future, would you still continue being an investment banker? Or, will you decide that enough is enough, and resign from the job so that you can pursue your dreams? If you have chosen the second option, then it may be good for you to start dedicating yourself in some acting gigs. This will help you balance out the drudgery of being an investment banker.

It doesn’t have to be any major roles. Instead, small roles in a web series will be sufficient. That will give you a good idea as to what is needed to become a full-time actor. And when a good opportunity comes knocking, you can then decide whether to leave the job for good and start living your dream.

5. What Type Of Causes Do You Spend Most Time On?  

Most people are obsessed with causes. It can range from personal and community to social and national causes. Knowing which causes you deeply care about will show you what your heart truly wants to do. 

For example, suppose that you have a strong feeling about the environment and constantly track all news about environmental damage and protective measures. You might also be very vocal about saving the environment when chatting with friends at a coffee shop or with strangers in Facebook groups. This would indicate that one of the primary focal points in your life is environmental protection. As such, the best thing you can do will be to involve yourself in such causes. This will align your personal drive with your daily life ensuring that you live life exactly the way you want.

Final Thoughts

While the above questions will help you find out your life’s purpose, be sure to be level-headed when taking any decision. Don’t just blindly go after any desire you have thinking that it will satisfy you. That usually doesn’t work out for anyone! Only seek to fulfil those desires, causes, and drives that you know are fundamental to your identity and which you will always care about; no matter how old you get or the changes in your circumstance.