Has anyone ever asked you what your purpose is in life? Have you ever wondered if there was a particular reason why you were born? Do you struggle with the idea that your life has meaning? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this post is for you. Let’s talk about it.

What is purpose?

In very simple terms, purpose is “why you do something or why something exists.” At least that’s how Cambridge Dictionary defines it. Another phrasing from Collins Dictionary clarifies that “the purpose of something is the reason for which it is made or done.”

In a rather popular article, published to the Greater Good Science Magazine at Berkeley University of California, it is noted that for psychologists, “purpose is an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.” It’s something that evolves throughout the course of our lives, and helps us navigate life and living with a perceptible sense of meaning.

Why is purpose important?

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” 

Purpose is important because it is literally how we articulate our utility, or our reason for being present or active in any particular moment or situation. Sometimes we attach our perceived utility or potential to a larger organisation such as a church, a community or a government, however there is no one way to discover or define the purpose of all people.

No matter where your purpose is found, it is pretty safe to say that it will always be in service of something larger than yourself. You may not be Mother Teresa, but you may be passionate about feeding the hungry, clothing the poor or housing the unhoused. You may not be Nelson Mandela, but you may find yourself in a position where you can inspire people to love others unconditionally just by the way you respond to the circumstances of your life.

Where does purpose come from?

Again, there is no one way to discover or define the purpose of all people. There are many situations or experiences that carry the potential to evince purpose in your life. Some people make it to the end of their days without ever stopping to discover, establish or understand their purpose—the reason they were ever alive. Some people spend their time worrying that they may never find out why they’re here.

A simple way to look at where purpose comes from is to begin with universal core competencies, and then pairing your skills with your passion. What are you skilled at? Is aesthetic awareness a strength of yours? Balanced decision making and collaboration? These competencies, for example, are necessary for someone who works in interior design, but they may also be the skillset of a person who works in production, customer experience or the visual arts. It all depends on the person, however, there is no shortage of potential utility, purpose or value.

If we’re not careful, we might spend our whole lives waiting to find purpose someday, when all the while we have the power to build and define what purpose is in our lives. That’s why in some of our courses it’s required that students complete a self-assessment of universal core competencies. It is important to move with purpose in order to lead a meaningful and comprehensive life. Take the power back into your hands and own your why. See how things start to change in your life.

Why sink when you can SWIM?

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