What is your life’s purpose?

What do we mean by this – it’s doing what we love to do and doing what we’re good at.

In SA today this is a luxury that most of us cannot think about.

This is because those of us who have a job are happy just to have any job. Nevertheless we all need to find out “why we are here”. I believe that we were all born for a purpose and it is everyone’s responsibility to identify, acknowledge and honour this purpose.

As your life purpose becomes clear you will discover a passion and determination for what you are doing. You will find that this purpose breathes life into everything you do and things become more fun. You now have a basis for all your major life decisions. Life becomes much easier. Your life purpose often follows those things that you have a skill for and are passionate about. In fact its something you would often do for free if you could afford to do so.

In contrast if you do not have a purpose you feel unfulfilled and you wander through life without purpose and direction. You will know you have found your life purpose when you feel JOY in what you are doing.

You may be thinking: “How do I find my life purpose?”. Follow this exercise –

1. List your 2 unique personal qualities, such as nurturing and enthusiastic.
2. List 1 or 2 ways how you express these qualities when interacting with others, such as to teach and inspire.
3. Assume the world is perfect right now. What does this world look like? How is everyone behaving towards each other? What does it feel like? This is a statement in the present tense describing the perfect world as you see it and remember the perfect world is a fun place to be. For example: Everyone is achieving their dreams and aspirations in an atmosphere of hope and peace.
4. Combine the 3 points into 1 sentence- I use my nurturing and enthusiastic qualities to teach and inspire people to achieve their dreams and ambitions in an atmosphere of hope and peace.

In summary, I quote Nelson Mandela’s stirring life purpose: ” I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in racial harmony and with equal opportunity. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Fraser Carey is a motivational speaker on Success Principles and Workplace Happiness and is presently writing a series of articles based on Success Principles by Jack Canfield