Not knowing why you are going wherever it is that you are going sounds silly, but so often folks live life without thinking about their purpose. We believe that thinking about your purpose and trying to identify what it might be is one of the most impactful things you can do to level up your life, career, and general level of happiness and fulfillment. Having a sense of what your why is will help you become a better decision maker which inevitably will improve your life. Below, you’ll find some interesting discussions, stories and perspectives around find your purpose.
Alfonso Abraham Cervera Jr
I’ll begin by sharing that where I am now is not where I began at all. I often reflect and wonder how I got here, how I found my “purpose,” and how I’m providing relevant contributions in my roles as a dance professor at The Ohio State University and as a practicing artist. Read more>>
Tiona Lynn
Finding one’s purpose is often portrayed as a moment of epiphany – a single, defining moment where everything becomes clear. My journey, however, was anything but instantaneous. It was a gradual process marked by experiences, growth, failures, self-reflection, and self-acceptance. Read more>>
Zachary Farris
I really found it from listening more to these bands who resonated with me. I initially didn’t like metal music but the more I listened the more I began to appreciate it. Eventually I wanted to be part of it and here we are! Read more>>
Inbar Madar
Finding my purpose took time. For years, I dreamed of being a business owner and making a difference, but figuring out what kind of business I wanted to start was tough. So, I stuck with my corporate jobs and put aside my dreams. Read more>>
Honglin(Adam) Zhu
From the start, I never thought about becoming a filmmaker. At first, I wanted to be a journalist. But when I began college in 2017 at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College in Zhuhai, China, I chose to study Cinema and Television (CTV) upon my mom’s suggestion. In my major, there were many courses covering different aspects of filmmaking, and as I learned more, I started to really like it. Read more>>
Scott & Christy Payne
Finding our purpose in life was a journey intertwined with our personal and professional experiences, and ultimately led us to establish Goldfish Swim School. As parents of four children, Christy and I understood the paramount importance of swim safety from the start. Swimming is not just a recreational activity; it is the only sport that has the potential to save lives. Read more>>
Cash Campain
I found my purpose by growing my relationship with God, listening to my spirit, and starving my ego. When I first began my creative journey, I was focused on the things that most others were at 20 years old. I believed that trophies should define success, and money would make the journey worthwhile. Read more>>
Angela Poen
I’m not sure I found my purpose, I think a purpose found me. I have always felt called to volunteer and have been involved with several different wonderful groups of people working to make life better for others. One Saturday a month, I hosted a group of ladies at my house for Bible study. That particular day, we discussed hunger in our community. Read more>>
Michael Torres
Finding my purpose wasn’t something that occurred overnight. I joined the military straight out of high school, a decision I had made after the 9/11 attack. As a New York native, I felt a strong sense of pride and duty to serve my country. Growing up without a present father and lacking positive male role models, navigating life as a young male without guidance was challenging, especially in a society with such high expectations. Read more>>
Sarah & Chris Hogenesch
Chris and Sarah are both transplants to Los Angeles. We find as adults it can be hard to makes friends and build community. We thought that soccer could be used as a catalyst to building community in Los Angeles. We love the soccer community and how this international sport brings people from all over the city with different exposure and experiences in soccer together. Read more>>
Alberto Lule
I many ways I was always an artist. It took me a very long to realize that I can reinvent my own perspective of myself. For many years as a teenager, I had convinced myself that all I would ever be was a criminal and a gang member. While serving a 14 year sentence in Calfornia prisons I realized I had the power to create my own identity, and not hold on to the identities which are created for us by systems of power over our lives. Read more>>
Emilee Moore
One of the main things I find a lot of purpose in is writing songs about my experiences in heartbreak to help people feel less alone in theirs. That’s what music did for me at my lowest and I really hope that my music can be there in those quiet moments when people need to feel understood and validated the most. Read more>>
Andrea Kupferman Ali Owoc
Andrea and Ali. Best friends for 16 years… and counting! They grew up together and experienced their own trials and tribulations, which led them to develop their own self-awareness and growth. Having done and continuously working on their own healing, growth, and development, Andrea and Ali most definitely practice what they preach! Read more>>
Austyn Yarbrough
I love this question even though it’s very tough to answer. I think some people search for years for the “perfect” purpose and there really doesn’t need to be that much pressure put on it. What I think is so important to understand is there will never be a “perfect” purpose, job, etc. Read more>>
Weiqi Cai
Finding a personal goal in life is a luxury for many. I always remember the line from “Forrest Gump” where Forrest, holding a box of chocolates at the bus stop, says, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” So, in pursuing a goal, it might be like eating chocolates: you have to keep trying, piece after piece. Read more>>
maxine chapman
At surfdurt we found our purpose through necessity. We were unable to find a reef-safe mineral sunscreen at the time of our beginning, 7 years ago, and so we made one. Read more>>
Kuniharu Yoshida
I was interested in dance from a young age; especially the hip-hop genre. It was a no-brainer for me to embark on a career that had some elements of dance, and I was luckily able to find it through my work as a calligraphy artist. Read more>>
Tianhui Huang
My purpose evolved through a continuous process of experimenting, introspection, and pushing boundaries. Experiences in literature, film, and technology have all contributed to my growth, enabling me to integrate diverse elements into my creative work and constantly seek new ways to tell compelling stories. Read more>>
Wendy Julien
My journey into the world of health and wellness was born from personal hardship and a deep-seated desire for change. Growing up in a family with limited resources and health knowledge, I found solace in physical activities like weight training, track, and ROTC. Read more>>
Jonevieve Forte
I always knew that I was called to serve others. I was good at being a listening ear and guiding others. People would always come to me for help or advice in different areas of their lives mainly in their personal and professional development. Being a career and life coach; my purpose is to help others discover theirs! How cool is that??? Read more>>
Michael Ivery
Finding my purpose has been a journey marked by both professional exploration and personal fulfillment. In my early career as a DJ, producer, and event director, I discovered the power of music to connect people and create unforgettable experiences. This deep appreciation for music and its impact guided me through various roles in the entertainment industry. However, it was my role as a father that truly transformed my understanding of purpose. Read more>>
Shamier Floyd
Purpose isn’t what we you do. Purpose answers the question of why we do what we do. Finding who you are is a gradual process. For some it involves seeking happiness , fulfillment , personal growth , and spiritual enlightenment. As for me I found my purpose by finding God. That saying of sometimes you have to unlearn somethings to learn something new applied to my walk. Read more>>
Marion DuBose
Honestly, it was the freedom of being able to follow my passion and perform songs that I love to play. Being a music writer and musician is something I truly enjoy and I wanted to pursue music business to the fullest to work for myself, not for a Fortune 500 company with no intention of growth. Read more>>
Ziyi Zhou
Opting for a creative career was an organic choice for me. From a young age, I had a deep passion for artistic expression and problem-solving. This love for creativity and innovation naturally led me to design, where I find profound fulfillment in transforming concepts into tangible realities that address real-world challenges. Read more>>
Favian The Stylist
I was working at a clothing store & when customers would come in they would always ask for my input for the occasion. So I’ll just visualize something that I would want to wear and ask what was their own preference for fashion for themselves. Which lead me to receiving so many compliments about the way I would style them & I always heard “You need to be Personal Stylist”. Read more>>
Lorez Meinhold
One of the people that really shaped my worldview early on was my aunt. She became paralyzed, and when this happened, it changed her path. She never really focused on the things she couldn’t do or the path she couldn’t take anymore but took every opportunity to change the world. Read more>>
Rachel Ross
My journey to finding my purpose in helping women and men embrace healthier beliefs and behaviors has been marked by significant personal and spiritual milestones that reshaped my understanding of self-worth, body image, and fulfillment. Read more>>
Candace Oglesby
I don’t know if I would say I found purpose versus purpose found me. I remember being a little girl and my mom always advocating for me to support my community. Growing up in church, there was always a community service project going on. I recall one particular service project where we were serving those who were homeless. Read more>>
Chris McCormick
The journey to being the best mom I can be has fundamentally shaped my purpose and professional path. My son is autistic, and being his advocate, caretaker, and best friend is the guiding force in my life. This experience has not only deepened my understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities but also ignited a passion within me for disability awareness and inclusion. Read more>>
Felix Mack
A long series of misadventures inadvertently prepared me for it. I spent a lot of my younger years hiding from myself and my purpose. The idea of a career was so alien that I pushed it as far away as possible. I lived in a counter culture, outside of society on protest sites. Only through working in the arts did my life finally make sense. Read more>>
Rhonda Dudek
I’m not sure if Ive found my ‘purpose’ exactly, or if I’ve just done enough trial and error in life at this point to know what I don’t want to continue doing. Pushing out the things I don’t enjoy and focusing on what I do helps direct me to goals that help me feel fulfilled and happy. Read more>>
Taylor Adams
I love this question because it is simultaneously simple and complex. As I’ve navigated through life, I have felt, seen, and experienced many different versions of myself. These versions have all been cultivated by my age, season of life, and desires I had in those periods. Read more>>
Amy Alfaro
Wow! This is a very deep yet wholesome question. Finding my purpose started off with asking uncomfortable questions amongst myself. I really began to dig deep and ask “What truly brings me fulfillment?.” “What are my strengths and talents?.” “What inspires me.” Doing weekly self reflections has helped me tremendously. I see the things that I can improve on so I can become the best version of myself. One must master discipline. We all want to evolve right? Read more>>
Christina Florencio
In 2012, I transitioned from working as a volunteer to a paid team member at a non profit organization, Dress for Success. Their mission was to empower women into the workforce by providing attire, career support and mentorship. My role as the Marketing and Sponsorship Manager was one that helped me realize I was living my life purpose. Read more>>
Megan Reneau
How did you find your purpose? I feel like that has to be one of the biggest questions out there. I do not think we find our purpose but rather it seeks us out. From our youngest years till we finally come to the realization. Or maybe when I’m a senior a greater purpose will reveal itself and I’ll be able to reflect on it then. I think you have to be very aware in order to find your purpose. Read more>>
Patricia Richardson-Smith
I feel in love with graphic design at the age of 18. I was fresh out of high school and my church needed someone to do the newsletter. I offered and found joy in creating something from scratch that everyone could enjoy. I remember using Microsoft Publisher templates and learning about the different color pallets. Read more>>
Mitchell Green
After working several different jobs in food service, construction and sales I found myself lying on my back in a Seattle hospital after back surgery at age 28, I knew I didn’t want to return to my sales job. I decided to look into teaching. Within moments of volunteering in a fourth-grade classroom, seeing and hearing the children, feeling their energy, I knew belonged. Read more>>
Stevie Leszyk
Sobriety is at the forefront of finding my purpose. During the pandemic, I was among the huge wave of people who were able to stop drinking alcohol, something that changed my life for the better. For me just like many others, kava was crucial in making that happen. There happened to be an affordable housing crisis where I was living at the time, so I was keen on moving to Louisville where, once I was settled in, I got to launching Cave Valley Kava as a pop-up kava bar partly as a way to make new friends out in my new community. Read more>>
Monique Rellis
As children we always have such high hopes and dreams for what we want to do when we grow up, who we want to be and what we want our lives to look like. The sky is truly the limit to a young mind and we believe that we can achieve any obstacle that might come our way. Honestly, we really think that those “obstacles” are nothing to us because we see the end goal and nothing in between. Read more>>
Suzannah Bozzone
My purpose, or why I get up in the morning, is to empower and inspire individuals, groups, and communities with Lifestyle Medicine (The evidence-based use of nutrition, movement, stressing less, loving more, sleeping well, and reducing toxins to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic mental and physical conditions). Most importantly, I want to share this message with joy, humor, compassion, curiosity and NOT with criticism. Read more>>
W. C. filmore
I would have to say that you don’t ‘find your purpose’, it finds you. For me purpose is that thing that nags at you in corner of your mind. The voice that pushes you to finish that project. Purpose is that force that gets you up in the morning. Don’t get me wrong we all have to pay bills, but I’ve always found time to pursue the passion of creating. Whether it’s writing my novels, short stories or marketing ads. Read more>>
Courtney Gunter
I found my purpose in one of my darkest moments. Pursuing photography started as an escape from all of the pain in my day-to-day life. I had been living in an abusive relationship and lost all sense of myself. Photography reminded me of everything I had lost about who I was, it showed me what good I could do for others, and how I could create a safe space for creativity that could be healing and empowering. Read more>>
Barton Quigley
I found my purpose while doing some serious inner work around the age of 44: to heal a decade of anxiety and panic attacks and to figure out my career path. I began to share my journey publicly, along with the helpful tools and resources I discovered and applied in my life. Read more>>
Brittani Starr
I love this question and at the same time, it’s so layered. I’d like to explain that my purpose has changed throughout the years. You see, you are drawn to different things for a reason. When you pursue these passions you find where you are needed. This can keep changing throughout your life. Read more>>
Lukas Pennington
I have to say that even now I’m not sure just how solid my sense of purpose is… Most of my life I have just wandered from place to place and job to job. I had friends, family, a place to stay, and food in my pantry. Truthfully what more could I ask for? College just hadn’t clicked with me and I didn’t have the money to invest into another run at college or a trade school. Read more>>
