Having seen a significant rise in hits after writing the previous article, it seems I may have found an issue that quite a few people are interested in. I have been studying purpose since I was about 15, so I have a few years practice on the subject.

As seen in previous posts, I love teaching by asking questions. This isn’t anything new of course, Socrates was doing this over 2400 years ago. I believe this approach works because we know vastly more than we think we do. There exists within us intelligence we can’t even begin to understand. Humans are created in the image of God. We come from Him, and His blessing rests on each of us. The bible says that the rain falls on both the good and the evil. Theologians call this “General Providence.” What this means basically is that all humans have some protection and blessing from God. For example, we are alive, breathing, living, eating, traveling safely, etc.

Now how does all this apply to purpose? I thought you’d never ask! Purpose is that “thing” which drives us. It’s that special something inside us that causes us to reach higher and dig deeper. When you’ve discovered your purpose, you’ve discovered a good thing. The previous article covers discovering your purpose in detail, but I will elaborate here a little more.

What is the definition of Purpose?

Purpose - The reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc.

So when we discover our purpose, we are actually learning the reason for which we exist. It’s important to remember that we exist on many levels and in many different facets. One man can be a son, a brother, a father, a husband, an employee, and an American. All these relationships form a piece of the purpose puzzle. We aren’t any one thing; we are an amalgam of our various roles. So with all this separation into who we are, where does purpose fit in?

Purpose works like a glue, it’s the essence that holds everything together. It’s the thought behind the action. Our purpose acts like a magnet, drawing us towards certain things and away from others. Have you ever noticed that the things we think about most usually end up becoming a large part of our lives? I have a cousin who loves cars, so his viewpoint is centered around them. Everywhere I go with him, he is looking at the passing cars and making comments about their engine size, model, manufacturer, and other things. To be honest, I don’t even know what an intake valve is!

Your purpose determines your outlook.

So, if you’re still out there wondering about your purpose, look no further than what you already look at everyday! What do you see a lot of? What are you in tune with? What jumps out of you again and again each day?

One last way to discover your purpose is to ask yourself two more questions. These questions get to the heart of your purpose. So, ask yourself:

1) What gets me up early?

2) What keeps me up late?

When I’m working on my various business ventures I have no problem staying up late and getting up early. I go to sleep late because I don’t want to stop what I’m doing and I wake up early because I’m so excited to get back to the project at hand. When you find that for yourself, hold on to it. You know you’ve found your purpose!

I would like to say that a lot of the material I have used in the previous post and this one I learned while attening a leadership school when I was 16. So, Dr. Crites, wherever you are, thanks for sharing this invaluable information with me at such a young age.

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 24th, 2006 at 9:44 am and is filed under Purpose, Goals, Business, Inspiration.