Don’t we all wish we could have our “life purpose” handed to us on a silver platter? no more doubts, second-guessing, or comparison? i certainly did. I’ve done all the journaling and programs and meditations. And i still haven’t found the answer.
All those things i tried, they helped, but the ideas stayed intellectual. They all sounded good on paper, but living it and feeling it and internalizing it is a different story. Life purpose is a complicated web of convictions, values, skills, life experiences and talents, which inform and augment each other.
I wish there was a linear 7-step formula to nailing it. Once and done, so we can all move on. Yet life rarely works that way.
Maybe this whole life purpose business is never meant to be a destination, but a process. An iterative process of growth, reflection, and realization. You can talk about life purpose till you turn blue but you can only know if it’s true for you if you live it breathe it and reflect on it.
Reflection, articulation, action. Rinse and repeat. It’s the unsung hero.
We value thinking, and we value action. But articulation is the midwife that helps refine the ideas, make them relevant to the world, create meaning that delivers value, and inform the exact action to be taken. So many times my clients have all these ideas and vision swirling in their heads that felt like a jumbled bunch of strings and threads and knots.
The moment we start talking about these big ideas they’re able to take a step back and tease out what’s really important to them. (doesn’t hurt that i grill them like nobody’s ever done before. ) the magic, however, really happens when we put everything that’s in their head on paper – honestly, unapologetically.
Seeing their ideas articulated. Turned into something tangible, something they can share, something they can own – makes it actionable. Articulating those ideas reveals the best course of action and offers the motivation to move forward.
The process takes guts. Putting them on paper is a process of taking up responsibility for them. Giving them a voice is the first step of turning it into reality.
The first step of turning options into action. Sharing your story and seeing the trajectory of your life help you create meaning and relevance out of the path you chose to walk. Taking you closer to where you want to be, and who you want to become.
It’s not a once-and-done. At the next crossroad, you’ll have to reiterate – reflect, articulate and act. Going through the grinder and do it all over again.
I do believe, when you do it enough, you’ll get closer.