Journey to Finding Life's Purpose - Part 2

**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you choose to make a purchase.

QUESTIONS TO REVEAL THE PURPOSE OF YOUR LIFE

It’s impossible to find your purpose without a degree of self-reflection. Answers are the result of asking questions. Asking the right questions will provide the answers you seek. 

When you ask yourself questions, it’s imperative to listen to the answers. The response you receive can be very subtle and quiet. Keep an open mind.


Ask yourself these useful questions:

• If you only had a year to live, how would you spend it? 
• With the clock ticking, we’re much more able to focus on the important stuff and let everything else go.
• The things that come to mind are worthy of further consideration. Could you spend your life engaged in one of these ideas?
• Just reminding yourself that you’re going to die one day can be helpful. The reminder that your time is limited can reduce the habit of wasting time and being indecisive.

• How do you want others to remember you? What would you like your obituary to say? How would you like your children, friends, and other family members to remember you?
• Make a conscious decision about how you’d like others to remember you and put together a plan to live that life.

• What did you love to do as a child that you no longer do? As children, we’re quite clear about what we like and don’t like. In addition, younger children aren’t concerned with the perceptions of others. We do things solely because we like them when we’re 6-years old. What have you given up over the years?
• As we become teenagers, social pressure and the need to impress others can steer us away from the things we love.
• In young adulthood, we become overly concerned with the practicality of our choices. “Can I make enough money at this to have a decent lifestyle?”
• With a little thought, you can find a way to make a living doing what you love. Life is short. Consider what you once loved to do and find a way to incorporate it back into your life.

• What type of discomfort can I handle? Everything is awful part of the time. Living your life’s purpose will have its disadvantages. What can you handle?
• If you dream of being an artist, musician, writer, or actor, you’ll be rejected at least 95% of the time.
• If you want to create a law firm, you’ll spend at least a decade working 80-hours each week.
• Do you want to be a teacher? Can you handle the parents and the children that constantly disrupt class?
• If you can’t handle the worst aspects of pursuing your purpose, you may want to reconsider your choice.

• What topics and activities make you lose track of time? Have you ever gotten so involved with a conversation or an activity that you missed a meal or were amazed by how much time had passed?
• Maybe you lose track of time when you play the guitar. However, take another step in your thinking. Is it the guitar specifically or music in general? Is it the guitar or the process of competing with yourself and seeing improvement?
• Make a list of the times you’ve been so focused that you forgot about everything else.
• Imagine if you had a career that incorporated this phenomenon. You’d never have to “work” another day again! 

• What do you dream about doing but are too afraid? Admit it. There’s something you fantasize about, but you can’t quite get yourself to take action. It might be climbing Mount Everest, writing a screenplay, or becoming a doctor.
• Why haven’t you taken the first step? In many cases, you’ll find your resistance to trying something new is fear. Often, it’s the fear of failing, especially failing in front of others.
• Keep in mind that the only way to become good at something is to work through the initial period of being bad at it. It’s unlikely that your first script will be purchased. In fact, it will probably be awful. But the next attempt will be better. It takes time to become good at a new skill.
• Make a vision board full of the things you dream about.

The more embarrassment you can handle, the greater your ultimate success.

• How could you best serve the world? Of all the challenges that exist in the world, how could you best solve one of them?
• True happiness requires contributing to something outside yourself.  
• It’s not possible to solve any of the world’s problems alone. You’ll be forced to work constructively and creatively with others. This could be the kind of fulfillment you seek.
• Make of list of all the ways your skills, interests, and talents could benefit the world in a meaningful way.

Did you ask yourself every question? Did you record your answers?  How can you use these answers to enhance your life?

Introspection is a necessary part of finding your life purpose. Ask yourself the important questions and listen to the answers.