One of the questions that comes through my inbox the most is how people can find their purpose. After they find their purpose, they wonder how to start a business from it like I have.
While there is no one-size-fits-all formula to help you find your purpose, there are a few things you can do to speed up the process. This is simply based on my experience of having found my own and, like many of you, it took me a while before I really got it.
Why You Want to Find Your Purpose
In finding your purpose, you find the bigger why behind your business. This actually helps you on the days when things seem very difficult. It also helps you rally people for your cause because they see there’s a bigger purpose to your work.
I recently helped a coaching client find her purpose in business and it’s changed everything – from her sales conversations to the opportunities that are showing up for her. Things are flowing a little better and it’s because she is now in alignment with a higher purpose for her work.
Act your way into your purpose.
Perhaps the best way to find your purpose is to not try to intellectualize it. So many people try to think their way into their purpose and it backfires. The reason is that your purpose is your vocation. At the end of the day, it’s something you likely have to feel your way into.
This is why I say that in order to find your purpose you need to act your way into it one step at a time. In doing so, you start to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
For example, I didn’t wake up one morning and decide I would be a business and finance expert for millennials or Latinos. It kind of just happened as a result of me putting one foot in front of the other over the course of several years.
Determine your why.
While you may not exactly be able to think your way into your purpose, there are some questions you can ask yourself to get you started. Here are some of them:
- What were you passionate about as a kid?
- What is something that energizes you?
- Why did you start your business in the first place?
I find that when you start the quest to find your purpose, the answer will likely be a combination of these three questions.
Try different things.
If you really have no idea where to start, then I suggest trying your hand at different things. Eventually, something will stick as you begin to find your purpose.
When I first started blogging I was all over the board. The only thing I knew was that I needed to defend millennials against the media. I also knew that school taught me nothing about life skills. As a result, I wrote about health, relationships, and money for years before narrowing it down to just finance.
To be honest, I never would have imagined that I would be writing about money for a living. It was the furthest thing from my mind. But, by allowing myself to experiment I was able to find my purpose in it.
Final Thoughts
The ability to find your purpose for your business will really help you take it to another level. At the end of the day, we don’t really want to work just to work. As humans, we like to know we’re in alignment with what we feel like we were meant to do. By using these tips, you’ll be able to get started in finding your purpose.
