Discover Your Purpose
This is a topic very near and dear to my heart, as I set out on a year-long journey to find the answer to the question, “What is my life’s purpose?”
There are so many articles, books, podcasts, talks, and resources to help you find your purpose, but being introspective about such a question can be extremely frustrating. They ask you questions like:
“What did you most love to do as a kid?”
“What have you always been gifted at?”
If only it were that easy! I found my purpose not through a single question breakthrough but through true exploration and play.
Understand that the biggest hurdle to discovering your purpose is timing. The Universe might not reveal your special gifts until you’re ready to receive them. As much as I wanted to uncover my purpose with a single question, it was the journey of discovery that mattered most.
The delays in your life aren’t setbacks — they are precious pauses, pushing you to learn the lessons necessary to hold your gifts. After a year of inquiry, I finally came to understand what to do with my gifts. However, it’s not up to me to decide whether I’m ready.
Every person has gifts imparted to them by the Universe. Many of us ignore the call in our hearts, but whether we admit it or not, there’s something we’re meant to do. This isn’t fate; it’s a chance. You are no one special. Just as Einstein, Socrates, Monet or Musk were no one special. But the Universe asks something special of each of us: to listen to the gifts and purpose we’ve been given.
If those great minds had ignored their call, the Universe would have asked someone else to create greatness. When you tap into your intuition, your gifts, your purpose — you’re tapping into something much deeper than yourself. You’re connecting with the Universe’s creative expression, its genius.
How do you begin the inner journey to tap into this expression in order to deliver on your purpose, you ask?
First, you must listen. Quiet everything else and just listen. Listen to the pull, the deep inner call for what you’re meant to do.
But trust me, the Universe won’t just say it outright. Believe me, I’ve tried — I’ve begged, pleaded, asked politely, cursed, cried. The Universe doesn’t respond verbally. Anything you hear is your own interpretation of the feelings and direction the Universe is trying to convey.
The Universe doesn’t speak in words, but we do. And standing on the shoulders of giants, I don’t suggest listening to just anyone. Instead, follow the books or messages that land in your hands at the right time. That’s how the Universe communicates — through feelings, coincidences, signs, signals, and people. You just have to be willing to listen.
Next, read these two books:
How to Die Happy
The Life You Were Born to Live
I know, I know , didn’t I just criticize gimmicky books? However, these two were the most influential outside sources in identifying my gifts and purpose that I found along my journey.
I picked up How to Die Happy in Bali, and the group of people I was with almost laughed me out of the country. But this book introduced me to the concept of Ikigai:
“Iki” means life
“Gai” means reason
Together, it means “a reason for living.”
Your Ikigai lies at the intersection of four areas of your life:
What you love to do.
What the world needs.
What you can be paid to do.
What you are good at.
Pretty self-explanatory. Read the book and create your own Ikigai diagram.
Finally, on the path to discovering your purpose, read The Life You Were Born to Live. This book uses numerology based on your birthdate to suggest lessons and purposes for your life. Here, you can uncover the secrets of your divine purpose and how to find it. Do I really believe there’s a secret code in your birthdate that determines your life purpose? Not exactly. But it’s so crazy, it just might work. And let me tell you: it’s only weird if it doesn’t work.
So if you’re where I once was , lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, wondering what the f*** you’re meant to do (and feeling like there’s no way your corporate tech job is all there is) , then please, join me on this journey.
Follow your heart. Set aside time to listen. Read the books. Question everything.
So, what is it you are truly meant to do?
