Maybe you’re having an existential crisis, or you’ve always known there’s more to life than making money. But you’ve just been confused about who you are and the impact you’re supposed to make.
I’ve been there too. Trying to find my life purpose made me crazy and a half. I binge-read self-help books, watched every clickbaity YouTube video that promised I would find my purpose after watching it, and prayed hard to God to give me an answer while I slept.
Did they help? No. What helped was trying different things and gaining inspiration from others who’ve found their life purpose.
In this post, I’ll highlight some life purpose examples that will help you create your own, so you can achieve clarity on the direction of your life and feel self-confident.
Table of Contents
What Is a Life Purpose?
A life purpose is made up of goals or aims that guide and motivate you throughout your life. It gives you direction, pulls you out of bed in the morning, and is the reason you do the things you do.
Basically, a life purpose is a lighthouse that guides you back to shore when you’re sailing treacherous waters.
A life purpose can be general or specific:
- General Life Purpose: “My life purpose is to be content every day.”
- Specific Life Purpose: “My life purpose is to save whales from extinction.”
Moreover, your purpose can be internally or externally focused, or both. For example, the specific purpose regarding whales is external because you want to do something for the world. However, the general purpose is internal because you want to do that for yourself.
There are no wrongs and rights when it comes to finding your purpose.
And you shouldn’t put pressure on yourself to do something significant for society. You need to do something great for yourself first because only then can you help the world around you.
Related Post: 8 Ways to Figure Out What You Want to Do in Life
Can You Have More Than One Life Purpose?
Absolutely!
Your purpose can be one thing that gives you central direction in life, or you can have many purposes related to different things.
For example, your life purpose could be to care for your parents and the environment and become a prolific writer.
Most people shun the idea of having multiple purposes, but I believe we are individuals with so much to offer, and it doesn’t make sense to only focus on making a difference in one thing.
Does Your Life Purpose Have to Be Related to Your Career?
Contrary to popular belief, your life purpose doesn’t have to be related to your career. Although, the people who have their purpose aligned with their work are more likely to be happier and successful.
Related Post: How to Find a Job That Makes You Happy (8 Ways)
Famous Life Purpose Examples
I’ve compiled a short list of life purpose examples from inspiring people.
(Disclaimer: I’ve put these life purposes in my own words. They aren’t from the source.)
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela’s life purpose was to fight for equality, peace, freedom of expression, and education. He dedicated most of his life to striving for these multiple purposes.
From him, we learn how having multiple purposes can add more value to the world and our lives.
Walt Disney
Walt Disney’s life purpose was to create stories that inspired people and stirred their imaginations. Despite being rejected in the early days of his career, he continued to create his animations and believed in his goal.
He showed us that even if failure is a possibility, we shouldn’t let that stop us from trying and continuing to do our best.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The main purpose of life is to live rightly, think rightly, act rightly. The soul must languish when we give all our thought to the body.”
This purpose is present in all his remarkable acts of bravery against the British rule in India.
He fought for freedom without inciting violence and commanded millions of Indians to behave in the same way. Even in the quest for freedom, he did what he believed was right.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs could only achieve the digital shifts he made in the world because of his life purpose. He was an advocate for having the courage to think and do differently, even if everyone else thought you were crazy.
He also believed in “doing what you love,” and he knew time on this earth was limited and, therefore, strived to make the most of his life.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah’s purpose was “To be a teacher, and to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.”
She’s achieved this via television, her media company, and her books.
Oprah teaches us that whatever your life purpose is, its fulfillment doesn’t have to be limited. You can fulfill it in countless ways.
Life Purpose Examples from People Like You and Me
Here are some examples of life purposes that are drawn from fairly “ordinary” people like you and me.
- To live life on my own terms and take risks others are afraid of.
- To educate myself and others, so we can understand the vast world and ourselves more deeply.
- To fall in love with the splendor of life and be grateful for the life I have every day.
- To take care of my family, have a clean home, and listen to good music.
- To travel and experience new people, places, and cultures.
- To become a great writer and inspire and heal people with my words.
- To take care of my parents and give them back tenfold the love and care they’ve given me.
- To open an animal shelter to care for those who can’t take care of themselves.
- To be a formidable athlete and push my own boundaries.
- To live by my definitions of success and failure and not uphold myself to anyone else’s standards.
As you can see, all these life purpose examples are simple yet powerful.
How to Find Your Life Purpose
1. Journal or Brain Dump
Brain dumping is the best way to figure out your inner workings. I journaled like mad when I was trying to discover my purpose and it helped a lot.
We often don’t know what’s going on in our heads until we put our thoughts onto paper.
So, grab a pen and paper and write whatever comes to mind. It doesn’t have to make sense because only you’re going to read it. If you need a little help, use these self-discovery journal prompts.
2. Imagine the “Better” Version of Yourself
We all daydream and wish for something better for ourselves. So, who do you imagine yourself as in the future?
Are you somebody who travels full-time, does yoga at 5 a.m., is studying for a PhD, or is a marine biologist? The type of person you want to become is where your purpose lies.
3. What Does Your Ideal Day Look Like?
What do you envision as the “perfect” day? And I don’t mean relaxing in a spa or bathing in money; what does your “normal, routine day” look like?
Are you sitting in a high-rise corporate office? Are you working in a global non-profit organization? Are you trekking in the Himalayas? Are you waking up at noon to work from home as a freelance editor?
4. Read A Lot
Reading enhances your knowledge of the world and yourself.
I’m not a well-traveled person. I’ve been to two countries only. However, I’m more open to new ideas, possibilities, and people because of the amount of books I’ve consumed.
I’m also more aware of myself because I’ve been in so many heads.
Related Post: How to Develop a Reading Habit (10 Tips)
5. Listen to Yourself
This might sound phony and idealistic, but you already have the answers you’re searching for.
You just need to shut everything else out and listen.
6. Make Your Life Purpose Simple
You should be able to sum up your purpose in two lines because it should align perfectly with you.
If it looks and feels difficult, is more than ten lines, and has too many fancy words, then it’s not your life purpose but rather an ego trip.
7. Do a Personality Test
On 16th January 2020, I went for an interview. I didn’t get the job, but I earned something more — a deeper understanding of who I was.
The recruiter had me take the 16 Personalities Test. The test was so accurate that it helped me formulate a purpose immediately. I also realized that up until then, I’d been living a lie.
It’s Okay to Not Have a Life Purpose
If you’re still confused and desperate for answers, don’t fret too much. It’s okay to not have things figured out yet.
Flow with the uncertainty, be grateful for your current state, and live each day to its fullest.
Also, set small goals for yourself. From these short-term goals, you’ll understand where you want to go.
Lastly, purposes change over time. It’s called a “life purpose,” not because it’s fixed forever but because it changes as you go through different stages of your life.
Final Thoughts
I hope these life purpose examples will help you on the journey to find your own.
It’s okay if you don’t know what it is yet. The main purpose of life can be to enjoy each day as it comes and be kinder to others and yourself.
“Enjoy the meanderings, the soul-searching, the loves lost, the time wasted. All of it will add up to a complex and very unique ‘you.’ The more you appreciate right now, the more the future will become a fantastic reality. Don’t pressure yourself to be in the future.” James Altucher