At some point, most of us pause to self-reflect on where we are on this journey called life. We ask ourselves if we’re happy, if we’re successful, if we are a good person…or a bad one, and if we even matter in this world.
The answer to the question about whether we really matter or not, is of course, yes. Everyone matters…greatly. But when we pause to self-reflect and assess, we also invariably ask if we are thriving in life, or simply existing — just getting by with no zest and gusto. And on that question, we really do need to decide if life is really good…or just okay.
Many experts say that in order to live a fulfilled and dynamic life, each of us must have a purpose. Purpose is of course, a reason or a plan — something, no matter how big or small, that keeps us going. Having a purpose in life means a mindful decision has been made as to the thing or things, which excite and motivate us. Purpose being that reason for getting out of bed in the morning and that “thing” that gives us a jolt of energy which helps to propel us onward and upward.
Of course, purpose is unique — your neighbor’s purpose in life may be entirely different than yours. One man’s purpose in life may be to invent the next big “wow!” that will sweep the globe in popularity, while yours may be to save as many neglected animals as you can. And that is the beautiful thing about purpose — each one is important and they absolutely do not have to be grandiose.
This insightful quote collection on having a purpose in life is a great motivator — see which one(s) really resonate with you:
“You have a masterpiece inside you, you know. One unlike any that has ever been created, or ever will be. If you go to your grave without painting your masterpiece, it will not get painted. No one else can paint it. Only you.” – Gordon Mackenzie
“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” – Winston S. Churchill
“It is absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don’t like in order to go on spending time doing things you don’t like and teaching your children to follow in the same track.” – Alan Watts
“I believe each of us has a mission in life, and that one cannot truly be living their most fulfilled life until they recognize this mission and dedicate their life to pursuing it.” – Blake Mycoskie
“Lean forward into your life. Begin each day as if it were on purpose.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.”– Barbara Hall
“Purpose is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s needs.” – Frederick Buechner
“We all have a purpose in life, and when you find yours you will recognize it.” – Catherine Pulsifer
“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” – Paulo Coelho
“Great minds have purposes, others have wishes.” – Washington Irving
“If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, setting goals so that your vision is an expression of that purpose, then life flows much more easily.” – Jack Canfield
“There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive.” – Oprah Winfrey
“The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you discover the reason why.” – Mark Twain
“Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” – Viktor Frankl
“To begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment.” – James Allen
“What matters most in a purposeful life is giving one’s fullest strength to one’s cause. Great efforts assure satisfaction, while common efforts can lead to regrets.” – John Soforic
“The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.” – Terry Orlick
“Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.” – W. Clement Stone
“Don’t aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one’s personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it” – Viktor Frankl
There are a lot of resources on the web to help people find and fulfill their purpose, so here are just a few ways to get started:
1. Find the things you care about most: What stirs your passions and makes you feel happy? If you picture your ideal life, what are you doing? Think about and make a list of all the things that you’re good at and include specific skills, then match them up with ways you can apply them in fulfilling your purpose(s).
2. Think about what matters most to you and factor that in when trying to find your purpose(s) — are you passionate about animal welfare or perhaps about the environment?
3. Picture your best possible self and give careful thought as to who that person is — not just where you are or what you’re doing, but why, how and for what reason.
4. Cultivate positive thoughts and attitudes. Negativity is a dream killer, so work to be more optimistic and hopeful –if you believe you can do it, you probably really can!
