In one of my previous posts, I shared the story of how I was finally able to let go of old habits and make a leap forward in life. After having made many unsuccessful attempts, I was able to approach change with a new mindset. A lot of what had to do with this was being able to see the bigger picture, a purpose in life.
Below are the ten finding life purpose questions that can also help you. When asking these questions, don’t forget to write your answers down. This is very important because your very first answer is often also the one that is most genuine.
1. What is that one thing that comes easily to me and that I have always loved to do?
The best job is the one in which you get paid for doing what you love to do. Making a list of your favorite hobbies and interests should be the very first thing you do when in search of a purpose.
Also, think beyond your hobbies, about what comes naturally to you. For example, maybe you are very good with numbers, but have never really done anything with this skill. Or maybe, you have always felt creative, and others have pointed out to you how well you draw or paint.
2. Do I want to be lying on my deathbed knowing that I haven’t accomplished anything in life?
This is not so much a question to help you identify your purpose, but rather a question of philosophy that we all should ask. When asking myself this, I get really motivated to accomplish more because I know that it’s not the way I want my life to end.
3. What is the one thing that I could do even if I wouldn’t get paid for it?
By forgetting about money for a bit and leaving it completely out of the equation, we can be as objective as possible. The reason for this is because money is what drives many people into the wrong direction in the first place. Money is what influences our decision-making and often wins when choosing between true passion and wealth.
4. If I knew that I could not fail, what would I do?
This is a very powerful question to ask yourself. By imagining that you could do whatever you want to without ever failing, our imagination has the opportunity to go wild.
5. Is there something that is holding me back?
Sometimes, we already know what we want in life, but we choose not to have it. This may be either a conscious decision or an unconscious one.
In the case of a conscious decision, you may be afraid of taking action because you feel that you will fail. However, don’t forget, your feelings are not the truth. If your thoughts and feelings are not valid, don’t validate them.
In the case of an unconscious decision, it may be the area that you live in or the people that surround you are pulling you down.
6. What would make me fulfilled?
Happiness is something that comes and goes, so you shouldn’t really be finding life purpose amongst everyday pleasures. However, think about what really makes you fulfilled. What is that you do that gives you a sense of accomplishment and meaning in life?
7. Who do I look up to?
Do you have a role model? Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Oprah, Beyoncé, etc.?
While not always it’s easy to know what’s best for us, we can always think about the people that we look up to. What exactly do you love about them? Maybe their life vision, personality, accomplishments, skills, political views?
We cannot become exactly like our idols, but we can copy their best qualities and strive to be as good as them.
8. If I could live for another 300 years, what would I learn to do?
Sometimes, we hold ourselves back because we feel that it’s too late to start something new, or because we, God forbid, think that we are too old for it.
Adding another couple of hundreds of years to our life will make it easier to brainstorm. Remember, the goal is not to reach perfection in something, but rather to enjoy the process of becoming better. Age, in this case, should not make any difference. To be happy you don’t need to take the “all or nothing” approach. Don’t be a perfectionist.
9. Am I unhappy with the way things are now? If so, what exactly is it?
When finding life purpose, we often concentrate on those things that we do not yet have.
Look at it from another perspective. If you are unhappy with the way things are now, what exactly is it that makes you feel this way? What is wrong? If you have some kind of pain, try solving it first instead of creating something new.
Do you hate working for others? Do you hate your job? Do you need more free time? Are you tired of being unhealthy? Do you hate the house/neighborhood/city/country you live in? Etc. By solving your pains and problems first, it may become easier to find a purpose later on.
Recommended read: Never Give Up – The Power of Positive and Negative Motivation
10. Is there someone that needs my help?
The last but not least finding life purpose question is about helping others.
I am aware that it’s not easy to figure out what would be the right life purpose for us. But if you could help others, how would you do it? Would you teach them to play an instrument, speak a new language, donate money to them, start a business or help them overcome drug addiction? There are very many ways.
Although it may seem counterintuitive, finding your life’s purpose can be easier if you think about helping others first. By doing so, you let go of fears, doubts and your ego. Moreover, by thinking of how you could serve others, you may come up with new interesting ideas that you didn’t previously think of in the context of your own life.
These were the ten finding life purpose questions. Hopefully, they will be of help to you. But if you feel that you need some extra help in finding your life’s purpose and/or putting it into action, feel free to contact me. I work with a lot of people, and I always do my best to help every single person to move forward in life.
In any case, thank you for stopping by and good luck!
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April 8, 2018 at 11:18
The most critical period in anyone’s life is deciding or discovering ones self. I agree perfectly with the idea of making a list of your hobbies.
April 8, 2018 at 14:03
Thank you!
April 8, 2018 at 16:06
It’s always important to know exactly what your passion is. This post is inspiring and helpful in finding your life purpose. Thanks for sharing!
April 8, 2018 at 17:14
Thank you!
April 8, 2018 at 17:21
Those are very good questions to ask yourself.
I’ve been lucky to find my purpose early in life. But as we must be periodically evaluating our goals and small decisions, I think it’s a useful list even to someone that already found their path.
April 8, 2018 at 18:33
Thank you for your input. 🙂
April 8, 2018 at 22:33
it’s important to follow your passion an do want you love to do. Rather then following someone else, one should follow their own dreams and desires
April 9, 2018 at 08:10
Agreed!
April 8, 2018 at 22:38
This was really food for thought, asking myself these questions made me realise that I don’t have the right answers for them, guess it’s back to the drawing board for me.
April 9, 2018 at 08:10
🙂
April 8, 2018 at 23:13
great post! I believe knowing what we can continue to do even without getting paid is the key to discovering our purpose. Nonetheless, the purpose reveals itself only when life feels that we are prepared for it…this is what I have experienced.
April 9, 2018 at 08:09
Thank you for sharing your experience.
April 9, 2018 at 03:22
A very thought provoking post. I believe that everyone needs to re-evaluate themselves every few years to see if they truly are on the path that they need to be one
April 9, 2018 at 08:09
Re-evaluating ourselves every few years sounds like a very smart idea!
April 9, 2018 at 03:59
These questions are so helpful and have really got me thinking! It’s certainly a different way of thinking about things. So good to get a new perspective to inspire creative thought!
Di from Max The Unicorn
April 9, 2018 at 08:08
Thank you! 🙂
April 9, 2018 at 14:45
Do we ever find our purpose in life, would be my question? I believe that we change all the time and we don’t have a straight line that we need to follow.
April 9, 2018 at 16:23
I think some people do… a curvy line to the destination 🙂
April 9, 2018 at 18:08
This is amazing! Love your article!
April 9, 2018 at 18:38
Thank you!
April 9, 2018 at 19:46
Have read countless books on the topic of purpose and the key element from each book was passion. Once you recognize your passion, you’ve found your purpose.
April 10, 2018 at 19:38
It’s true, passion and purpose do not exist without one another.
April 10, 2018 at 00:22
Wow! This is amazing. Love your article.
April 10, 2018 at 19:37
Thank you!
April 11, 2018 at 03:16
This was a such an inspirational post! It made me rethink some things. I need to ask myself some questions. Thanks for sharing.
April 12, 2018 at 16:35
Thank you!
April 11, 2018 at 17:14
Loved this post! Made me reflect about my personal answears, my dreams, my passions. I always try to follow them, no matter the result, I try!
April 12, 2018 at 16:35
Keep at it!