If you think you do not have a purpose, I am here to tell you this couldn’t be further from the truth! You have a unique combination of personality traits, gifts, passions, talents, interests, strengths and skills. This is your special edge. It has only been given to YOU so you can make your mark on the world!

You already know many of your preferences. For instance, you know what you do and don’t enjoy. You know what activities light you up and which ones shut you down. You have a good sense of what activities come naturally to you and the ones you need to work hard at. And even if you don’t think you know these things, once you start paying attention, your preferences will emerge quickly and easily.

Before you look outside of yourself to see what is on offer through job descriptions, job boards, vacancies, etc., get clear on who you are and what you offer. This way you can avoid becoming a round peg in a square hole! Once you have done the inner exploration, it’s fine and often helpful to expand your awareness of the options available in the external world.

Your thoughts and images are the language of your brain. The recurring ones – the whispers and visions that you have about your purpose – are clues to your purpose. They are your purpose trying to re-connect with you. So take them seriously! For years I thought to myself, “I wish I could be a trainer.” I had visions where I would see myself leading a workshop. Of course, my inner critic would cloud those thoughts and counter with “But you are too shy!”. Eventually I allowed my purpose thoughts to guide my actions. I overcame my fear of public speaking and became a trainer!

Your feelings are the language of your body. They are your internal GPS. When you feel on purpose, you have found another clue to your purpose! If you love teaching people, you feel on purpose when you teach. If you love helping animals, you feel on purpose when you help animals. This feeling of love is your purpose speaking to you! When you love what you do and you do what you love you are on purpose because you feel on purpose. You feel joy. You feel alive.

As Howard Thurman writes, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” 

When you know what you care deeply about you will discover more clues to your purpose. What you care about will fall into one (or more) of the following categories: people, animals or the planet. They all have needs. Which one(s) do you care deeply about? How so, specifically?

Finding your purpose comes from following your heart down a number of different paths. It requires inner excavation combined with outer exploration. Sometimes you won’t know what makes you feel on purpose until you discover what doesn’t.

And the great news, as Jack Canfield, Author of The Success Principles says, “When you truly are on purpose, the people, resources, and opportunities you need naturally gravitate toward you. The world benefits, too, because when you act in alignment with your true life purpose, all of your actions automatically serves others.”