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.

What is your Purpose? More times then I can remember I have been asked this question by friends and family. No doubt you’ve probably thought of this on numerous occasions as well. This is an important question that all of us face as we grow older and (hopefully) wiser.

Why are we so compelled to ask this question? Two reasons jump out at me more than any other.

1) We are inborn with a desire to find our purpose.

2) Society places strong importance on what you’ll be “when you grow up.”

It’s easy to see why we need to figure out some sense of purpose, it is reinforced inwardly and outwardly, a strong combination obviously. Do you remember when you were young? Most boys wanted to be Firefighter’s and most girls wanted to be Ballerina’s. I have often wondered why these “jobs” are so prominent in children. Who’s going around feeding these kids minds with those jobs? (I’ll leave that up to you to figure out!)

Anyway, back to the question at hand. Right now, I own a Metro PCS store and am also expanding into another cell phone business. When I was young I NEVER thought I’d be working in the cell phone business. It’s something that I sort of just fell into. It’s not so bad, really. I have plenty of time at work to write articles like the one you’re reading now, and I also make ok money. BUT, I know that this isn’t my purpose.

Purpose runs deeper than a job, or even a career. Your purpose is the essence of who you are. It’s that one thing that really moves you, makes you strive to be greater in every area of your life. I’m not naive enough to believe that all of us can wake up one day and instantly be living our purpose. That’s a fantasy. I do believe, however, that we can work towards our purpose everyday by making choices that that lead us to our ultimate purpose.

What if you don’t know what your purpose is? I’m not going to pretend that I can give you a simple formula to discover your purpose, but using the Socratic Method I can help you figure it out. There are 4 simple questions that you must answer, but take heed, answering them correctly takes immense introspection. Let the answers flow from deep within you, and you will begin to get in touch with what Napoleon Hill called “Infinite Intelligence.”

With no further ado, here are the questions:

1) What makes me cry?

2) What makes me happy?

3) What angers me?

4) What make me smile?

Now, it’s important to realize that puppy dogs may make you smile, but they aren’t your purpose. Losing a loved one may make you cry but that’s not your purpose. Really s l o w drivers may make you angry but that’s not your purpose. Really delve deep into these questions. Try to think beyond the normal, look into your subconscious. Here are my answers to these questions.

1) Seeing hurting people who have no help. (What makes me cry?)
2) Helping somebody overcome their problems and succeed in life. (What makes me happy?)
3) People who take advantage of others. (What angers me?)
4) Seeing or hearing about someone I have helped doing well. (What makes me smile?)

Based on these answers, I know that my purpose involves helping others overcome their problems and growing into mature, successful, happy, and nice people. That is why I find myself now gravitating towards personal development and this blog.

I use my businesses as a means to help others. I may be in the cell phone business right now, but in reality I am in the personal development business, I’m just not getting paid for it right now. As I continue on and give all that I have to help others, the money and opportunity will arise to work full time in my purpose.

Don’t get discouraged if you have trouble answering these questions. Think about it and come back to it if you get stuck. The important thing is to answer truthfully. You’ll also find that their may be some crossover in your answers, and that’s fine. As you answer all 4 questions, you’ll begin to see a theme taking shape. This is your inborn calling making it’s way forth. Let it out and watch as your behavior changes to accommodate your new discovery.