At it’s core, finding your purpose means learning more about yourself and then developing your strengths and interests. And engaging in conversation — even when the discussion is primarily focused on someone else — hits on several tenants necessary for adult learning and development. As adults, we learn best by actively exploring topics, pulling from our life experiences, and collaborating with others. When asking questions, we can’t help but reflect on someone’s responses and try them on for size in our own life. Further, providing insight, guidance, and direction create an ideal environment for personal growth and discovery. Giving advice to somebody else is frequently the best way to convince yourself to take that advice, too.
Asking someone else questions about what they’re good at or enjoy doing causes us to reflect on how we’d answer the same questions. Even if you don’t say a word about yourself, you leave these conversations with greater clarity about your own purpose. – Robin Camarote The Unexpected Answer to Finding a Purpose In Your Career.
Find Purpose By Knowing Yourself: The more you know about how you work, what you like to do, what you hate doing, what seems to come naturally to you vs. what you have to force yourself into, the better. How can you move your work and career into a space where you’re doing things that come naturally to you, where what you do each day fills you with energy instead of drains you physically, mentally and spiritually, and where you’re doing work you actually love!
Find Purpose In Serving Others: Purpose grows when you serve others in meaningful ways. See a need, fill a need. How are you serving today? Maybe the work you love has you behind a desk, or chopping onions in a hot kitchen. Your purpose, regardless of where you do your work, is still connected in some way to making someone else’s life better. Can you explain how you do that each day? If not, try to come up with some ways. How are you lifting someone else up by what you do?
Find Purpose in Asking Others: As Camarote points out, you can find amazing insights about purpose and meaningful work/careers by talking with people who have gone ahead of you, or who are deeply engaged in building work that matters. Ask questions like: why do you do what you do? How did you get started as a _____________? What do you like the most about what you do? I’ve found that people tend to be very open and happy to share their journey with someone who is genuinely interested.
How are you focusing on others today?
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