7 Tips for Finding Your Purpose in Life

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Do You Need a Sense of Purpose?Donate Time, Money, or TalentListen to FeedbackSurround Yourself With Positive PeopleStart Conversations With New PeopleExplore Your InterestsConsider Injustices That Bother YouDiscover What You Love to DoHow Do You Know You’ve Found Your Purpose?Takeaways

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Why Do You Need a Sense of Purpose?

Donate Time, Money, or Talent

Listen to Feedback

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Start Conversations With New People

Explore Your Interests

Consider Injustices That Bother You

Discover What You Love to Do

How Do You Know You’ve Found Your Purpose?

Takeaways

Does it ever seem like other people have it all figured out—their goals, values, andpurpose—while you’re just trying to figure out what to have for lunch? Don’t worry. A lot of us don’t have it all figured out either. According to one analysis in “The New York Times,” only around 25% of American adults say they have a clear sense of what makes their lives meaningful. Another 40% either claim neutrality on the subject or say they don’t.

Finding your purpose in life is more than a cliché. Learning how to live your life with purpose can lead to a sense of control, satisfaction, and general contentment. Feeling like what you do is worthwhile is arguably a significant key to a happy life. But what this means is different for each person, and it’s not always easy to figure out what drives you. Fortunately, there are some helpful strategies for finding and steering your rudder in a sometimes turbulent sea of life.

‘I Don’t Know What to Do With My Life’: How to Navigate This Feeling

Research has found that individuals with high levels of eudemonic well-being—a sense of purpose and control control and a feeling like what you do is worthwhile—tend to live longer.Other researchers found thatwell-beingmight be protective for health maintenance. In that research, people with the strongest well-being were 30% less likely to die during the eight-and-a-half-year follow-up period.

There’s also research that links feeling as if you have a sense of purpose topositive health outcomessuch as fewer strokes and heart attacks, better sleep, and a lower risk ofdementiaand disabilities.

A 2016 study published in theJournal of Research and Personalityfound that individuals who feel a sense of purpose make more money than individuals who feel as though theirwork lacks meaning.

So the good news is, you don’t have to choose between having wealth and living a meaningful life. You might find that the more purpose you feel, the more money you’ll earn.

With all of those benefits, finding purpose and meaning in your life is clearly central to fulfillment—but it’s likely to take time and patience.

The process requires plenty ofself-reflection, listening to others, andfinding where your passions lie.These seven strategies can help you reveal or find your purpose so you can begin living a more meaningful life.

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Finding your purpose in life has many benefits.

If you can cultivate just one helpful habit in your search for purpose, it would be helping others.

Researchers at Florida State University and Stanford found that happiness and meaningfulness overlapped somewhat but were different: Happiness was linked to the person being a taker before a giver, whereas meaningfulness went along with being more of a giver than a taker. The givers in relationships reported having a purposeful life more often than takers did.

Altruistic behaviorscould include volunteering for a nonprofit organization, donating money to causes you care about, or simply helping out the people around you on a day-to-day basis.

Whether you decide to spend two Saturdays a month serving meals in a soup kitchen, or you volunteer to drive your elderly neighbor to the grocery store once a week, doing something kind for others can make you feel as though your life has meaning.

Altruism: How to Cultivate Selfless Behavior

Sometimes, it can be hard to recognize the things you feel passionate about. After all, you probably like to do many different things, and the things you love to do may have become so ingrained in your life that you don’t realize how important those things are.

Fortunately, other people might be able to give you some insight. There’s a good chance you’re already displaying your passion and purpose to those around you without even realizing it.

You might choose to reach out to people and ask what reminds them of you or what they think of when you enter their mind. Or you might take note when someone pays you a compliment or makes an observation about you. Write those observations down and look for patterns.

Whether people think of you as “a great entertainer” or they say “you have a passion for helping the elderly,” hearing others say what they notice about you might reinforce some of the passions you’ve already been engaging in.

As the saying goes, you are the company you keep. What do you have in common with the people who you choose to be around?

Don’t think about co-workers or family members you feel obligated to see. Think about the people you choose to spend time with outside of work and outside of family functions.

Letting Go of a Relationship That Is Stressing You Out

It’s easy to browse social media while you’re alone on the subway or sitting at a bar waiting for a friend. Resist that urge. Instead, take the time to talk to the people around you.

Ask them if they are working on any projects or what they like to do for fun. Talk to them about organizations with which they are involved or if they like to donate to any particular cause.

Even thoughstriking up conversations with strangersmay feelawkwardinitially, talking to people outside your immediate social circle can open your eyes to activities, causes, or career opportunities that you never even knew existed.

You might discover new activities to explore or different places to visit. And those activities might be key to helping you find your purpose.

How to Start a Conversation

Is there a topic that you are regularly talking about in a Facebook status update or in a Tweet? Are you regularly sharing articles about climate change or refugees?

Are there pictures on Instagram of you engaging in a particular activity over and over, such as gardening or performing?

Consider the conversations you enjoy holding with people the most when you’re meeting face-to-face. Do you like talking about history? Or do you prefer sharing the latest money-saving tips you discovered?

The things you like to talk about and the things you enjoy sharing on social media may reveal the things that give you purpose in life.

Many people have their pet causes or passion projects that surround an injustice in the world. Is there anything that makes you so deeply unhappy to think about that it bothers you to the core?

It might be animal welfare, a particular civil rights issue or childhood obesity organizations. Perhaps the idea of senior citizens spending the holidays alone makes you weepy or you think that substance abusers need more rehabilitation opportunities—the organizations are out there, and they need your help.

You don’t necessarily have to engage in your purpose full-time. You might find your career allows you to afford to help a cause you feel passionate about. Or, you might find that you are able to donate time—as opposed to money—to give to a cause that you believe in.

On the other end of the spectrum, simply thinking about what you truly love to do can help you find your purpose as well.

Do you absolutely love musical theater? Your skills might be best put to use in a way that brings live performances to children who can benefit from exposure to the arts.

Is analyzing data something that you actually findfun?Any number of groups could find that skill to be an invaluable asset.

Consider what type of skills, talents, and passions you bring to the table. Then, brainstorm how you might turn your passion into something meaningful to you.

Why Are Hobbies Important for Stress Relief?

Finding your purpose isn’t something you can do in a few days, weeks, or months. It can be alifelong journey, and you must do it only one step at a time.

But how do you know when you’ve found your purpose? Like the notion of purpose itself, the answer to that is subjective—and there are as many signs that someone’s found their purpose as there are people.

You also might find that your purpose changes over time. Perhaps you liked working with animals in your youth, but now you want to join forces with a cause that fights human trafficking. Or, maybe you want to do both, being among the lucky ones who find more than one purpose to drive their lives.

Ultimately, you’ve likely found your purpose if you’ve stopped asking whether you have.

Keep in mind your purpose doesn’t necessarily mean you have to change what you’re doing already. If you cut hair, you might decide your purpose in life is to help others feel beautiful.

If you work as a school custodian, you might find your purpose is creating an environment that helps children learn.

Occasionally, consider pausing what you’re doing to reflect on your path: Is it taking you in the direction you want to go? If not, you can change course. Sometimes, that road to finding your purpose has a few curves, forks, and stop lights.

Nihilism: History, Philosophy, Theories

8 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Khullar D.Finding Purpose for a Good Life. But Also a Healthy One.The New York Times.The Upshot. Jan. 1, 2018:1. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/upshot/finding-purpose-for-a-good-life-but-also-a-healthy-one.htmlRyff CD, Heller AS, Schaefer SM, van Reekum C, Davidson RJ.Purposeful engagement, healthy aging, and the brain.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2016;3(4):318-327. doi:10.1007/s40473-016-0096-zSteptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.Lancet. 2015;385(9968):640–648. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61489-0Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in life and positive health outcomes among older adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139–147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Hill PL, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Burrow AL.The value of a purposeful life: Sense of purpose predicts greater income and net worth.Journal of Research in Personality. 2016:65:38-42. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2016.07.003Schippers MC, Ziegler N.Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life.Front Psychol.2019;10:2778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Aaker JL, Garbinsky EN.Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life.The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2013;8(6):505-516. doi:10.1080/17439760.2013.830764Yeung JWK, Zhang Z, Kim TY.Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms [published correction appears in BMC Public Health. 2017 Sep 22;17(1):736. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4709-6].BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):8. Published 2017 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8

8 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Khullar D.Finding Purpose for a Good Life. But Also a Healthy One.The New York Times.The Upshot. Jan. 1, 2018:1. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/upshot/finding-purpose-for-a-good-life-but-also-a-healthy-one.htmlRyff CD, Heller AS, Schaefer SM, van Reekum C, Davidson RJ.Purposeful engagement, healthy aging, and the brain.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2016;3(4):318-327. doi:10.1007/s40473-016-0096-zSteptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.Lancet. 2015;385(9968):640–648. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61489-0Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in life and positive health outcomes among older adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139–147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Hill PL, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Burrow AL.The value of a purposeful life: Sense of purpose predicts greater income and net worth.Journal of Research in Personality. 2016:65:38-42. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2016.07.003Schippers MC, Ziegler N.Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life.Front Psychol.2019;10:2778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Aaker JL, Garbinsky EN.Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life.The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2013;8(6):505-516. doi:10.1080/17439760.2013.830764Yeung JWK, Zhang Z, Kim TY.Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms [published correction appears in BMC Public Health. 2017 Sep 22;17(1):736. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4709-6].BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):8. Published 2017 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8

Khullar D.Finding Purpose for a Good Life. But Also a Healthy One.The New York Times.The Upshot. Jan. 1, 2018:1. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/upshot/finding-purpose-for-a-good-life-but-also-a-healthy-one.htmlRyff CD, Heller AS, Schaefer SM, van Reekum C, Davidson RJ.Purposeful engagement, healthy aging, and the brain.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2016;3(4):318-327. doi:10.1007/s40473-016-0096-zSteptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.Lancet. 2015;385(9968):640–648. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61489-0Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in life and positive health outcomes among older adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139–147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063Hill PL, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Burrow AL.The value of a purposeful life: Sense of purpose predicts greater income and net worth.Journal of Research in Personality. 2016:65:38-42. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2016.07.003Schippers MC, Ziegler N.Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life.Front Psychol.2019;10:2778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Aaker JL, Garbinsky EN.Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life.The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2013;8(6):505-516. doi:10.1080/17439760.2013.830764Yeung JWK, Zhang Z, Kim TY.Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms [published correction appears in BMC Public Health. 2017 Sep 22;17(1):736. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4709-6].BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):8. Published 2017 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8

Ryff CD, Heller AS, Schaefer SM, van Reekum C, Davidson RJ.Purposeful engagement, healthy aging, and the brain.Curr Behav Neurosci Rep. 2016;3(4):318-327. doi:10.1007/s40473-016-0096-z

Steptoe A, Deaton A, Stone AA.Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.Lancet. 2015;385(9968):640–648. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61489-0

Musich S, Wang SS, Kraemer S, Hawkins K, Wicker E.Purpose in life and positive health outcomes among older adults.Popul Health Manag. 2018;21(2):139–147. doi:10.1089/pop.2017.0063

Hill PL, Turiano NA, Mroczek DK, Burrow AL.The value of a purposeful life: Sense of purpose predicts greater income and net worth.Journal of Research in Personality. 2016:65:38-42. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2016.07.003

Schippers MC, Ziegler N.Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life.Front Psychol.2019;10:2778. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02778

Baumeister RF, Vohs KD, Aaker JL, Garbinsky EN.Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life.The Journal of Positive Psychology. 2013;8(6):505-516. doi:10.1080/17439760.2013.830764

Yeung JWK, Zhang Z, Kim TY.Volunteering and health benefits in general adults: cumulative effects and forms [published correction appears in BMC Public Health. 2017 Sep 22;17(1):736. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4709-6].BMC Public Health. 2017;18(1):8. Published 2017 Jul 11. doi:10.1186/s12889-017-4561-8

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