Can you ever withdraw from your purpose? Yes, you can retire from a job, or a career, but no, you never retire from your purpose. I went to a networking event where someone found out I was a motivational speaker. Usually a follow-up question is “What do you speak on?” or “Wow, can you motivate me?” But not this time. She asked me “Are you thinking of retiring in the near future?” This threw me for a loop. First because she wasn’t soliciting for a financial planning business, in fact she was a lawyer. Secondly, I thought, “Do I look old or what?” But her question about her got me thinking. I told her that I love what I do SO much, that I don’t see retiring any time soon. My speaking career, going on three decades is not just a job, it’s my calling, it’s my purpose. And living a life of purpose doesn’t recognize the concept of retirement. That begs the question: how do you know what your purpose is? And how DO you live a life of purpose? Here are three things to consider.
1. Identify what makes you tick
Everyone has a unique set of talents, passions, and experiences. The first step to living your purpose is to deeply understand what drives you, what you are passionate about, and where your strengths lie and ultimately, what brings you joy. What have you done in your past that brings you the most pride? When have you felt most alive? What were you doing when you felt the most connected to others in your family, in your community, in your circle of front-row friends? Chances are, when you reflect on these things, you will think of activities and relationships that align with your purpose.
2. Ask yourself if you are living in alignment with your purpose
Once you have identified and articulated your purpose, now it’s time to see if you are living your life congruent and in alignment with that purpose. Some questions to consider: Am I connecting with people, places and things that reflect my purpose? What can I do more of to be in alignment? What can I eliminate from my life to live more of my purpose? Consider keeping a journal, seeking feedback from others, and trying new experiences to gain insights into what truly motivates you and brings you joy. One challenge of living a life out of alignment with our purpose is that it causes internal stress. If you want to eliminate that stress, do things more in alignment with your purpose.
3. Set intentional goals
After reflecting on what brings you joy and discovering or re-discovering your purpose, put a plan together. Set some goals around living your life with intention to be more in alignment with your purpose. Maybe set a goal to be around more like-minded people. Maybe it’s an intention to spend more time volunteering around your passion. Or maybe it’s time to re-up your commitment to lifelong learning (like learning a new language for example!) Remember, just like there is no judgment as to what your unique front-row is to you, there is no judgment as to your unique passion and purpose in life.
My hope for you is this. If you haven’t thought about what your purpose lately, I hope this inspires you to reflect on it. I hope that you live a life of purpose and fulfillment, no matter what that means to you. Living your purpose, dare I say your front-row, is not something that you ever withdraw from. Think of it as a never-ending journey. A joyful, fulfilling, inspiring journey.
See you in the front row!
Your Head Usher,
Marilyn
