Life can throw many curve balls at you—losses, financial difficulties, emotional turmoil, relationship problems, school pressures, and complete uncertainty. When life throws these curves at people, they often feel lost, overwhelmed, and hopeless. However, those who understand their purpose, or what drives them, can remain focused, at ease, and strong even when things get tough.
A person with a strong sense of purpose will find it easier to know the direction to take when they are lost or have run out of options; this is referred to as a 'guiding light of purpose'. Psychologists say that individuals with a strong sense of purpose tend to be more resilient to stress, recover from stress more quickly, handle stressful situations better than those without a purpose, and lead healthful and meaningful lives.
This article focuses on how to develop a strong sense of purpose and how one can use that purpose as a supportive tool for developing resilience in challenging times.
What Is a Sense of Purpose?
To develop your sense of purpose, you need to have an understanding of your core motivations, i.e., what motivates you and what is most important to you. Developing a clear sense of purpose allows you to: Have an understanding of what is really important to you.
- Make decisions from a place of clarity.
- Remain strong through difficult times.
- Have drive and motivation to continue to strive for growth and fulfillment
- Have a long-term vision and direction for yourself.
- It's important to note that having a sense of purpose does not necessarily mean having everything figured out or knowing when you will reach your final destination.
It simply means having something that you are fighting for, working towards, or striving for in life.
Why Purpose Increases Resilience
Resilience refers to the capacity to recover from adversity; with one's purpose being an anchor during painful times in one's life.
Ways that purpose supports resilience:
1.Purpose: Provides Direction
Fear can result from uncertainty during tough times; however, when an individual has a clear purpose, he/she has something to follow; therefore, this reduces confusion and provides a sense of stability.
2. Purpose Gives You Motivation
A person's energy can be depleted by challenges; however, a purpose serves as an energizer and reminds people why they are fighting very hard.
3. Purpose Strengthens Emotional Stability
People with purpose can handle stress in a more effective manner, knowing that the pain they are experiencing right now will end eventually, while growth will continue.
4. Purpose Builds Mental Toughness
A strong purpose gives an individual strong mental fortitude. It also enables individuals to adapt when life does not go according to plan.
5. Purpose Helps You Find Meaning in Pain
People will no longer say, "Why me?" but instead will say, "What can I learn from this experience?"—this changes a person's perception of adversity, making it into an opportunity for growth.
How to Develop a Strong Sense of Purpose
1. Identify Your Core Values
The foundations of purpose are based on an individual's values. Values represent what is most important to a person, such as integrity, kindness, learning, growth, faith, family, health, and/or serving others. To find out your values, you should ask yourself:
- What matts do I value and how do they affect my choices?
- What would I be proud of as a person?
- What do I want people to remember about me?
Once you know your values, finding your purpose becomes much easier.
2. Discover Your Strengths
Both your natural and developed gifts constitute who you are and why you do what you do. For example, your personal brand will usually include:
- Communicating
- Creating
- Leading
- Solving Problems
- Supporting Others
- Organizing
- Empathetic Connections
Your purpose develops when you leverage your unique mix of gifts to provide value to yourself and others.
3. Explore What Inspires You
To identify your most significant sources of inspiration, first, answer these questions:
- The stories that inspire you
- People whom you admire
- Topics You Are Most Interested In
- Topics about which you can talk endlessly
Your sources of inspiration indicate your unique purpose.
4. Set Meaningful Long-Term Goals
Knowing long-range goals is another way to develop a clearer sense of your purpose. Some of the long-range goals that help clarify purpose might include:
- Creating Financial Independence
- Creating a Fulfilling Career
- Serving the Community
- Creating Better Health
- Creating a Better Role as a Parent and/or Partner
- Creating a More Meaningful Spiritual Life
- Creating New and Different Skills
Long-range goals add structure to your purpose.
5. Reflect on Your Past Experiences
For many, the lessons learned through painful challenges may lead one to clarify his or her purpose.
- When you face adversity, ask yourself the following three questions:
- What lessons were learned through adversity?
- What did I learn from the experience(s), and how can I use what I learned to help others?
Your pain can lead to your purpose if you allow it.
6. Connect Your Purpose to Daily Actions
Your purpose is more than one big dream, and you can achieve your purpose; it is achieved through a series of small daily acts.
- If your purpose is to grow, read something every day.
- If your purpose is to help others, do something nice for someone every day.
- If your purpose is to have good health, exercise every day.
Consistent acts can bring you to your purpose.
7. Practice Gratitude
Having a mindset of Gratitude helps create a positive view of everything around you, even when you face difficulty. Being in a state of Gratitude also helps develop Purpose by focusing time and energy on the things that are working instead of only on what is lacking.
8. Surround Yourself with Purpose-Driven People
A key part of your Mindset is influenced by the People you are around. Spend time with
1. Motivated People
2. Positive Thinkers
3. Supporters of Your Dreams
4. Challengers to your growth.
When you place yourself in and around the right environment for Growth, your Purpose becomes stronger.
How Purpose Helps You During Hard Times
1. You Stay Focused
When life gets hard, having a Purpose will allow you to stay centered instead of falling apart.
2. You Don’t Give Up Easily
A Purposeful mindset will give you the perspective of Challenges as Chapters - rather than Endings.
3. You Control Your Emotions Better
A Purposeful mindset will also allow you to remain Calm and Not Act Impulsively when life gets hard.
4. You Maintain Hope
Life seems Less Hopeless when you believe your Life is Meaningful.
5. You Grow Stronger
For All Challenges to Become a Part of your Journey, and Not a Barrier to Prevent You from Achieving Your Full Potential.
Common Barriers to Finding Purpose
Practical Exercises to Strengthen Your Purpose
1. Write a Personal Mission Statement
Things to Consider Writing About: 1. Who do you want to become 2. What do you care about/Value 3. What do you want to contribute? These concepts will Help Support Your Decision-Making Process.
2. Journal Daily
Another form of developing a Purposeful Mindset is through Journaling. Journaling Your Goals, Emotions, and Progress will Provide You with Clarity.
3. Ask Meaningful Questions
4. Visualize Your Future
Imagine achieving your perfect life in 5, 10, or more years from now, using visualization techniques to enhance your motivation and belief in achieving that visualized future.
Conclusion
For many people, developing a clear purpose in their lives is one of the best ways to remain resilient when faced with adversity or difficulty. When you know what gives your life meaning, you are better able to stay focused and respond to adversity from a position of strength. Purpose does not eliminate challenges but provides a unique way for you to confront them through understanding the reasons behind your choices.
When you have established a strong sense of purpose, nothing can stand in your way. Purpose is both the anchor that holds you steady and the guiding light to a better, more significant, and meaningful future.
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