6 Questions To Ask If You’re Searching For Your Purpose

Unsplash/Riki Ramdani

When we’re young, we think we’ll have life all figured out as soon as we become “grown-ups.” But the sad reality is that when we reach adulthood, we’re still questioning parts of our lives that our kid selves were so sure would be crystal clear. It’s disappointing, but it happens more often than not.

The good news? It’s never too late to find your purpose. Here are six questions to ask yourself if you need direction, inspiration and — of course — the answers your younger self has been craving all this time.

1. How did you get to where you are?

You can’t just say, “I don’t know.” If you’re not exactly sure how to answer this question, start with the facts. For example, you went to high school, you got good grades, you applied to a specific college, you got good grades there, you had a few valuable internships, you made connections, you got a job. Now, go into more specifics. What were your passions from the beginning, and how did they change as you grew older? Was it those passions that drove you to get here?

2. What makes you forget to eat and go to the bathroom?

It seems like a strange question to ask, but all it’s really saying is, “What activities are you so invested in that you forget about the outside world?” Typically, if you’re able to block out all other distractions — and even bodily functions — you probably care a lot about whatever you’re doing.

3. What are you willing to struggle for?

While you might not know how to picture yourself struggling for something you’re not even sure you want, we bet you can remember a time when you did struggle for something you really wanted. Think about that time and why you decided to put so much effort into whatever it was you were striving for. Now think about what you’re currently doing. Would you struggle the same way? If the answer is no, then at the very least, you know that what you’re doing now just isn’t doing it for you.

4. How do you want to help make a positive change in the world?

Everyone wants to make their mark. When you think about your legacy and what others will remember you for years after you leave this earth, what do you hope they see? You should get a good idea of where you’re meant to be if you can answer this question.

5. What would your 10-year-old self hope you were doing right now?

At 10 years old, we were all ambitious and believed our adult selves could do anything. Think back to your goals as a child. What did your younger self think you would be good at doing today and, more importantly, what did your younger self love doing? Obviously, playing dress-up isn’t exactly a purpose, but maybe you’d realize that you’ve always wanted to design children’s clothes. We know, it’s a specific example, but it should give you some insight into how your younger self could help inform your present self.

6. Listen to Whoopi Goldberg.

We’re not gonna lie — we low-key cried when we saw this scene in “Sister Act II.” But the woman speaks the truth, and if you wake up feeling passionate about something, that should indicate that you should pursue it further.

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