Discovering Your Life's Purpose Is the Most Important Thing You'll Ever Do

When you are wondering what life is all about, you are searching for its meaning. When you wonder what you've been put on earth to do or be, you are asking about the meaning of your life. When you express the desire to make your life count, you are acknowledging the importance of having a meaningful life, and making a difference.

Having meaning in your life has long been recognized as an important element in enabling humans to cope with adversity and live with greater satisfaction. Knowing your life's purpose can give direction to your life, and help you figure out where to focus your energy, time and money.

Your life's purpose provides a singular, unifying theme in your life. It provides a focus that is uniquely YOURS. Your life's purpose must be something that fits you—not your mother, not your boss, not your spouse. The focus of your life needs to fit you and your unique blend of personality, passions, talents and gifts.

Knowing your life's purpose provides you with unique motivation to live your life in a certain way. Your life purpose should be powerful and compelling enough to drive you forward--to lead you into activities that reflect this passion.

Your life purpose typically drives you to do the things that are the very most important to you. Your life purpose is a reflection of the core of your being. It is who you are and what you are here to be or to do.

Often people have the experience of feeling that they MUST do something or attend to something. That feeling of being "compelled" is often a signature of something being a "life purpose."

Having the unifying theme of your life's purpose can change the quality of your life. People often find that when they have discovered their life's purpose and begun to live by it, their lives take on greater meaning and authenticity. They report feeling less fragmented. They feel less overwhelmed by the complexities of modern living. Their course is clearer, their decision-making easier.

Having your life purpose as a focus to your life allows you to travel your life's path more smoothly and easily. It provides you with a "plumb line" to designate your true course in life.

When you have found your life's purpose, you can more easily live clearly, and know the direction that best fits you. Most of all, when you do, you will have the experience of living in a meaningful, authentic way. nn(c) Linda Pucci, Ph.D. n