How To Find Purpose In Life

Have you ever looked at your life and wondered, "Is this it?" You might have a good job, a lovely family and plenty to be grateful for, yet still feel that something is missing. In this track, I share my own experience of feeling unfulfilled and explore why having a good life doesn't always mean feeling happy with the life you're living. You'll be encouraged to reflect on what's really going on beneath the surface and consider what you want your future to look like.

Transcript

How to find purpose in life when you feel like you're just going through the motions. I used to wake up most mornings thinking, Is this it? Then I'd push that thought aside, Get my family sorted and get ready for work. I felt guilty for even thinking it. I mean, I had a good job, A nice house and a healthy family. I had plenty to be grateful for. So why did I feel this way? And somehow I couldn't seem to shake the feeling that something was missing. So eventually I decided to do something about it. I took a leap of faith and accepted voluntary redundancy. That one decision set me on a completely different path. Since then, I've learnt a lot about myself. I now know about what the question, Is this it, Really means to me. These days, I wake up feeling very different from how I used to. So how can you have a good life and still feel unfulfilled? I've spoken to many people, Particularly women, Who describe feeling the same way. They've done what was expected of them. They've built careers, Raised families and taken care of everyone around them. From the outside, Everything looks great. Yet inside they feel as though they're on autopilot. They go through the motions, Check off their to-do list, And rarely stop to ask themselves what they actually want. Sometimes they struggle to explain what's wrong. They know they want something to change, Yet they can't quite put their finger on what it is. It's just that sometimes life can feel like wading through thick treacle. The thing is, Feeling unfulfilled doesn't mean you're ungrateful, And it doesn't mean you need to turn your entire life upside down. Sometimes you need to understand yourself a little better before you can work out what actually needs changing. In my experience, What you think is the problem isn't always the real problem. That's why it's important to understand what's going on under the surface, As opposed to jumping straight in and trying to find a solution. Here are three things you can start doing for yourself to help yourself out. Number one, Find the root cause of what you're feeling. When something isn't working in your life, It's easy to focus on what seems like the obvious problem. Perhaps you're fed up with your job, Frustrated with your relationship or tired of your daily routine. Yet what if these things are a symptom rather than the cause? Start by becoming curious about what you're experiencing. Instead of immediately deciding what needs to change, Ask yourself these questions. What is it about the job that leaves me feeling unfulfilled? Is it the work itself, The environment, Or the fact that you no longer feel challenged? What does that frustration tell you about what you need? Keep asking yourself questions until you begin to understand what's really going on. And this is useful because it helps you to avoid making changes that address the symptoms without dealing with the underlying issue. The more you understand the root cause, The easier it is to make a decision that genuinely improves your life. Number two. Get to know yourself and what you really want. How well do you really know yourself? Over time, We are influenced by our upbringing, Our experiences and the people around us. We learn what's expected of us and what we should do to be successful. A good parent, A good partner, A good employee. Before we know it, We're making decisions based on what other people want or what we believe we should want. Take some time to think about what matters to you. What makes you feel alive? What do you enjoy doing? What have you stopped doing because life got busy? When do you feel most like yourself? Write down your answers without worrying about whether they sound sensible or fit in with your current circumstances. Getting to know yourself helps you recognise the difference between what you genuinely want and what you're learnt to expect from yourself. When you understand that difference, You can start making choices that feel right for you, Rather than living according to everyone else's expectations. And number three, Create a vision for your future self. Sometimes we find it difficult to imagine life being any different because we're so used to the way things are. This is where a little creativity can help. Imagine yourself five years from now. You are happy with the direction life has taken. You feel fulfilled and you're excited about what lies ahead. Now write a letter to yourself from that future version of you. What does your life look like? How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? What decisions did you make to get you there? What did you stop doing? What did you start doing? Let yourself dream without immediately worrying about how you'll make it happen. This exercise is useful because it allows you to explore possibilities without limiting yourself to what feels achievable today. Once you've written your letter, Look for one or two things you can start doing now to bring that future closer. You may discover that the life you want is more achievable than you thought. So you don't have to keep living on autopilot. If you've been feeling unfulfilled, Disconnected from yourself, Or unsure about what you want from life, You don't have to ignore those feelings. You also don't need to have all the answers right now. Start by getting curious and permit yourself to explore what matters to you and what you want your life to look like. It's about taking time to understand what's happening beneath the surface. Challenge the assumptions that you've made about what's possible and explore those opportunities. Sometimes the first step towards a more fulfilling life isn't making a big decision. It's understanding yourself well enough to know which decision to make. So I ask you, When was the last time you stopped and asked yourself, Is this the life I really want?