If you focus on personal growth you have no doubt been bombarded with resources, tools, seminars, etc. to help you “find your life purpose”. It seems like everywhere you turn there’s something about “being on purpose”, “finding your calling”, having a “life with a mission”.
I think it’s admirable to pursue this, and having nothing against the personal growth professionals and authors who teach on this subject. But it has got me wondering…
What if you don’t know what your life purpose is?
What if you can’t find your life purpose, or can’t figure it out?
You never hear the 
experts who teach this for a living talk about the people who go through their seminars and leave feeling no more clear than when they started. But it happens. A lot.
People who can’t find “a powerful life purpose”, or don’t know “IT” are often embarrassed and/or feel “less than” others who have found theirs. Sometimes they end up just saying something because of all the peer pressure.
There’s really nothing wrong with making one up or simply deciding what you want it to be. We pretty much make up all the other meanings in our lives, right?
I have a confession.
I have no idea what my life purpose is, or if I even have one.
I know there are things I’m great at and skills, talents, actions, etc. that come to me naturally. And there are plenty of things I can’t not do (which is what many people say is the clue to your purpose). For example I can’t pass a piece of peanut butter fudge without tasting it…but somehow I’m thinking that isn’t what people mean.
So is it possible you DON’T have a specific purpose or calling?
It probably depends on your spiritual beliefs.
So what do you do if the pressure to find a “life purpose” is bringing you down or lowering your self-esteem?
- Quit Looking.
Just take the pressure off. There’s no rule that says you have to have a “change the world” reason for being. Lighten up and give yourself a break. - Follow your interests.
You’re living your life anyway, so why not follow your interests? You’ll have more fun, it will be easier, and it may just provide clues to a budding sense of purpose. I’m not saying you have to find a purpose, though. But who knows…maybe your real purpose is to be a model of following your bliss and not getting caught up in all the hoopla.
How’s that for relieving some pressure?
So how do you deal with not being sure of your purpose? Or if you are sure, what were the clues you followed?
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I love this post since I actually think about it ALOT and feel just like you do! I am sooooo tired of trying to find my life purpose. I have decided that it is exactly as you wrote…..have a good time, enjoy myself, do things that make me happy, live in gratitude and enjoy each moment. Thank you for taking the pressure off! I also listened to your audio with Adele on blogging and the tools were very helpful. I just began blogging at http://www.mobilemoms.wordpress.com
Hi Eva,
Yes, isn’t it nice to know we aren’t all alone!! Way to go for taking the pressure off yourself.
So glad you enjoyed the blogging class. It’s that other side of my life people don’t always know about.
(Basic Blog Setup – in case anyone else is interested. )
Thanks for this post. I’ve been reading spiritually focused self-help books for years, but recently I’ve felt this building pressure to just “find my life’s purpose” or “find my calling” like it’s a lost puppy. I had an idea the other day to write a self-help book about this pressure and how to relieve it for those of us who seem to like variety and can’t seem to just nail down one purpose in our lives. I think there are more of us than those people who are driven to pursue one calling in their life.