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.
Logan Lepper
Finding my purpose has been anything but linear. After dropping out of college following my sophomore year in 2001, I was homeless, living out of my car and jobless for a few months. Completely lost and literally wandering the streets of Portland, OR and trying to figure out what to do. After bouncing around the service industry as a server and cook for about a year I landed a corporate job with Penske Trucks. Wasn’t my dream job by and stretch but at least it was better than working in restaurants. After 2 years and 2 promotions at Penske I had what I like to call my quarter life crisis. Read More>>
Carmella Alexander
As a parent of a child with ongoing disabilities, its hard not to let life challenges engulf you into feelings of sorrow. As a parent who doesn’t want there child to suffer or be in pain, these feelings gave me so much heartache. I had to find an outlet to release the snare of pitying myself and my situation. You may wonder how I was able to do that. You see I’ve always had a love of writing since I was about 8 years of age. I enjoyed writing short stories and poems to occupy my time. However, growing up and becoming an adult I let that robust flame die out, My interest wasn’t rekindled until I had my son Amir, He got me thinking, The world needs a story about him! Each year, Amir continues to defy the grim odds against him. Read More>>
Sherronda Daye
I found my purpose in my closed garage one morning in 2010, with my car still running and my choice to end my life in one hand and my dwindling faith in the other. I suddenly got the “divine” urge to go in the house and bake before completing the act of “ending it all”. I went in and baked. and baked. and baked. I had to end up giving most of it away. And a mentor and now friend, wrote me a check and told me that God had given me a gift in my hands to make bitter situations sweet. From that moment on, I have through much prayer and a whole lotta faith, used my life to help people, my communiTEA turn bitter situations sweet. Read More>>
Diana Cruz
Finding purpose in life is never easy. I believe we question our purpose on a regular basis not knowing that each one of us uniquely do have a purpose. I found purpose in life when I was able to envision my dreams and with my creative imagination putting together works of arts and crafts. I found that the purpose filled me with peace. The arts I am able to put together and share with customers give me a sense of purpose to breathe, live and be inspired by their needs. Read More>>
Paige Nathan
I’m passionate about great food and helping companies deliver worry-free events. Simply Food Trucks was founded in 2016, and has been the go-to food truck partner for the Atlanta metro area and other cities in the Southeast ever since. I worked for many years as a non-profit fundraiser and event planner in Washington D.C., New Orleans, and Atlanta. I understand how challenging hosting a successful event can be and knows what it takes to wow even the pickiest of guests. These were the years that I found my purpose, what I wanted to do. Read More>>
christina kirkey
I always knew I wanted to own a salon. I didn’t necessarily know what that looked like or what my initial purpose was until I had been in a few salons and was constantly going home feeling defeated and like there was so much to improve on in this industry both for our guests but mainly the support stylists so desperately needed. For so long stylists didn’t have a voice within commission salons which has ultimately changed the perspective for many stylists. There has been a strong divide in our industry that I personally don’t believe in. That’s where I have found my purpose of mending the gap and brokenness within commission salons and trying to better help this next generation of stylists. Read More>>
Vincent A. Lanci
After being the victim of a hit-and-run accident while on foot, my perspective changed. I was a Finance student who was focused on making a lot of money and earning a great job title. One day I thought to myself, who am I really doing this for?
I stepped back from Corporate and began writing my first book, Left for Dead: A Story of Redemption. From there, it was off to the races! I have dedicated my life to helping others through my story and experiences. Read More>>
Carlee Spath
I had suffered from hormonal acne pretty bad in my early twenties and it didn’t matter what I tried the products would either help for a little then the acne would come back full force, or I would have an allergic reaction, or would just burn me. So I decided to go to school and figure out what was going on, what was the cause of acne, how do I help calm the break outs and how can I help other people struggling through the same situations. Read More>>
Mason Wiley
Growing up I had this voice in the back of my head telling me to “paint, paint PAINT!” It took me a while to listen and follow that directive even though I have always been interested in art mostly abstract but especially street art. I find that I see things differently then others do. In this vein I wanted to explore and express what I saw on canvas. I am glad I did finally listen because it changed my life for the better and will continue to do so. Read More>>
Anthony Rivera
My purpose revealed itself to me through a captivating fusion of schooling, experience in animation, and the relentless passion for storytelling. As a creative who embarked on a career in the IT industry because it was “safe”, I initially followed the conventional path of a 9-to-5 corporate job, enjoying stability and a comfortable salary. However, deep within, I sensed an unquenchable thirst for creative expression that begged to be set free. Read More>>
Adrian & Shyan Singh
I live through the philosophy that everyone has a purpose. William Shakespeare once said, “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them”. Adrian and I took our passions and turned it into a lifestyle and through that we found our purpose. Real estate is more than a transaction for us, it is a means of finding someone a home they always dreamt of living in and changing their lives. Read More>>
Carolyn Jaynes, M.A.
I always thought I had to work very hard, long, and unhappily to move forward in life. I was told by society that to “fit in” I needed to get a graduate degree which only added to my stress load. I was a burned-out licensed social worker when I overheard a music entertainer singing to a senior group at the nursing home where I worked. He sounded terrible. I amused myself by thinking, My God, those poor people. Luckily, some of them are hard of hearing. Even I can do better than that!” It was a mere thought that I could sing and do a better show for the seniors who deserved a lot more than they were getting. Read More>>
Britt Nicole
Being a hairstylist, I’ve always had a passion for making people feel confident, and beautiful. A few years ago I started mixing organic ingredients together to grow my own hair. I used the oil mixture on my mom, sisters, and best friend’s hair and they all quickly seen unbelievable results! They encouraged me to sell it because it was too good and they knew I could help so many others see amazing results as well. I made 10 bottles and waited for the results.. In less than 7 days the 10 customers started calling me and telling me how they seen results in the growth of there edges, hair, etc! Word spread rapidly! And before I knew It I was making my hair growth oil by the hundreds! I’ve helped people with balding, alopecia, eczema and so much more see amazing results! I knew then that this was my calling! Every success story, reviews pictures, and comments from my customers let’s me know that im fulfilling my true purpose. Read More>>
Vanessa Araiza
The open ended life long question, right? I often find myself asking that. As cliche as it sounds (it’s cliche for a reason) I think my purpose is to find happiness and help others. What does happiness look like? It depends on the day and the moment. As for helping others that can be as simple as sending someone flowers. It doesn’t have to be this grandiose gesture. Often times, I think we have to have this grand explanation as to what our purpose in life is, but sometimes it’s as simple as listening to someone. Read More>>
Melissa Lara
I traveled to India to do a volunteering project with children and realized that my own hometown had similar challenges in a smaller scale and started to question myself how would I be able to support my own people through my passion which is fashion and accessory design. I am owner of Munai an accessories and lifestyle brand based in Miami, Florida. Munai stands out for its unwavering commitment to empowering Bolivian artisan communities and families by providing them with consistent, fair-paying job opportunities. Munai’s collections are mainly handmade using traditional Bolivian weaving techniques and materials that cannot be found in the US market. Read More>>
Emma Cooksey
I originally trained in Law and was dealing with an undiagnosed sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, when I started my career. I felt really sleepy every day despite sleeping all night and going to bed early. I found it difficult to work in a large law firm with morning headaches and brain fog. I had never heard of sleep apnea and had no idea that was the root cause to my symptoms and my difficulties at work. During my twenties I kept moving from job to job and didn’t know why I was having such a challenging time staying awake and concentrating. Read More>>
Datreese Thomas
Through my own experiences and struggles as a student at the University of Houston, I encountered a period of failure that initially shook my confidence. The lack of discipline I had during those early semesters led to a decline in my academic performance. However, I refused to let those setbacks define me. Instead, I used them as a catalyst for personal growth and resilience. Read More>>
Steph Lindsey
What I have found about purpose, mine in particular, is that it is a bunch of small moments and ideas that ultimately come together for a greater good. I spent much of my early life compartmentalizing my life…creativity was one section, teaching was another, spirituality another and so on and so on…I kept them separate because I didn’t understand how they all could and do work together. While I have always known what I wanted to do in my life, getting there has been fraught with doubt and uncertainty. Read More>>
Robtaevious Madden
Crazy story. Back in 2013, I got into acting. I moved to Atlanta to pursue acting because at that time, I thought that was my purpose and my reason. Now granted, I was in plenty of independent films, I did lots of background gigs, I was on TV One’s Fatal Attraction twice, and I did a host of short films. I just knew that acting was going to be my career. It wasn’t until the pandemic that I found my true purpose. We were on lockdown of course and I had always wanted to learn how to use a camera and how to film my own films. Being on lockdown allowed me to teach myself the ins and outs of filmmaking and how to edit, film, do it all. Read More>>
Alexander Tola
Finding one’s purpose can often be an unforeseen journey, as was mine. When modems were considered a novelty, I owned a small shop on Yonkers Avenue named Computer Maxx. Our mission was simple: help people get online, teach them how to navigate this new frontier, and show them the potential benefits and opportunities that lay within this digital realm. Read More>>
Myrlande “Mimi” Etienne
I discovered my purpose when I realized the significance of personal safety through my own experiences. I found myself in uncomfortable situations where I felt vulnerable and helpless because I lacked the means of protection. These experiences allowed me to empathize with other women and close friends who had gone through similar situations. Additionally, the news about assaults, harassment, and violence further emphasized the importance of personal safety. It was this realization that motivated me to establish a protection brand that offers alternative tools for people to carry, providing them with options beyond firearms. As I delved deeper into this, my passion for keeping people safe only grew stronger, reinforced by the overwhelming agreement from others on the importance of my protection business. Read More>>
Anna Jaworski
When I was a little girl, in the 1970s, I remember going to school and all the children looked just like me. When I was 8 or 9 years old, I came home from school declaring to my mother, “I know what I want to do when I grow up.” The teacher had shown a movie about children with special needs. At the time, there were no children with special needs in my school, but that changed the next year. Read More>>
Natasha Azari
It all started back in 2016 when I was working as a preschool teacher. I was new to the concept of manifestation and had a yearning to understand my purpose. I was inspired by the book “Leveraging The Universe” by Mike Dooley when I read a chapter that changed the course of my entire life. Then it dawned on me that my calling was the very thing that I’ve been passionate about since I was a child, which was art. As I pondered, I had an epiphany to take my passion for art on a larger scale. I was scared to leave my job because I wasn’t sure how I was going to start my career from scratch and I didn’t fully understand how I was going to make it happen. Read More>>
Brieanna Conway
This is a great question. I found my Purpose by finding myself. I strengthened my relationship with God and did the necessary work that was needed to better myself. I committed to finding out who I was and what God had in store for me. My Purpose has helped me understand my life and how meaningful my life is to this world. So, if you are struggling to find your purpose, start with finding you. Then find your passions, hobbies, and things that you truly love to do. Your Purpose is usually tied to helping others in some form or fashion. Finding my Purpose was a journey but now that I have found it I know that I will do amazing things for this world and I can’t wait until it is my time to show you all. Stay Tuned. Read More>>
Lindsay Goodwin
Discovering my purpose was like finding my way back to the person I was as a little girl. Life is interesting in how we always return to our soul’s purpose, the infinite power within us, before we learn to limit ourselves. Read More>>
Kevin Landry
Reading & studying help me find my purpose. I always knew what I wanted to do but I had to find out how to do it. I was comfortable letting someone else set my income knowing I wanted much more in life. Most job pay under the cost of living so it’s like a person going backwards in life. I knew that’s not something I plan to happen. Read More>>
Erin Carere
There was a time in my life when I thought my purpose was my identity-career. At the time, that particular identity was singer; more specifically, singer-songwriter; focus the lens even sharper and a gasp of “successful, label-signed, world-famous singer-songwriter” may have emerged from my lips, accompanied by the resonant chords of my guitar. Read More>>
Reannen Dixon
I found my purpose after my first year in college. My parents could not afford my second years tuition and I didn’t have any scholarships. I was so sad thinking about how I wouldn’t be returning and being with all of my friends. I immediately had to think of a game plan once I knew I wasn’t coming back. One of my closest friends recommended cosmetology school to me because I would do her hair often and my own. I went for it and since graduating from cosmo school, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Read More>>
Marsalis Davis
Honestly, your purpose finds you. As cliche as that may seem and sound, it’s true. It’s as if a force is pulling you inward. For some reason I innately knew my music was meant to help others. I was meant to help others and when I do I get an almost euphoric sensation from being supportive. I love being the “dot connector” as some may call me. Having the connections and network to put entrepreneurs and creatives into bigger rooms to advance their businesses. To be able to produce and direct someone to become their greater selves is amazing. I love to see everyone win no matter the what their passion is. I believe that’s because I believe in myself whole-heartedly, I would want others to have that same confidence and experience for themselves. Read More>>
Marie Moreau
Many people actively search for their purpose. If you sit and be still, your purpose will reveal itself to you.
Something deep down. A yearning, a feeling you couldn’t explain. Unable to put it into words, you should be able to move in and take action. What drives your passion? What makes you happy?
I don’t have a feel good story about how I came to be a licensed massage therapist. It was just something I always “knew.” Read More>>
Kristin Marie Navarro
For me, the moment I found my purpose, happened when I stepped foot in Africa., Being surrounded by “the wild” or what’s left of it, and witnessing firsthand what the reality and state that our eco system is in, gave me my purpose. That’s when I knew I had to help reconnect humans to animals, so they fell in love, and would do their part in conservation. That is not only my purpose, but it is my heart, my soul, and my passion. Read More>>
Melissa Hulsey
I have always had a niche for photography, art, decorating, & costume design. So I expressed myself with home decorating or with my kids costumes whether it be for school, Halloween or renaissance fair. It wasn’t until years later that I picked up a interest in holistic and herbal healing, and that’s where it all began I guess you could say. I love plants and being in a garden or outside in the dirt. Not much keeps my attention for long, so when I found out about all the unique benefits & healing properties of plants it was like a light went off and I began to learn about all kinds of herbs. My fascination grew so much that every time I’m driving I keep an eye out for things I can pick and dry out to use in my soaps or otherwise. Read More>>
Anna Pearson
I feel that art has been my purpose ever since I had learnt to hold a pencil. I drew on every possible and impossible surface from a very young age. Wallpapers, doors, books – nothing was safe from my creative touch. Once I even climbed up a wardrobe to carve something on a ceiling. My mom raised me by herself and despite her being supportive of my creativity we both somehow knew I needed to find a “real” career path to be able to support myself and art was just a hobby. I never thought I could actually apply my abilities to make real money. So I started working in sales in college and even succeeded in this field. Read More>>
Brigid Turner
I found my purpose through the people places I moved through with God’s Grace. I grew up wanting to be a nurse like my mother. That all changed when I went to college and found love through the Arts. Every step of my journey progressed and shifted to a higher lever as opportunities. My dance Professor saw talent in me and changed the trajectory of my life. I was given an opportunity to work with High School students for 4 summers. Read More>>
James Aikman
On October 22, 2013, I had a dream of my wife, Kelsey and I, owning and operating a wildlife park. I told her about it and she said I was crazy and reminded me that our first child was going to be born in 2 weeks. We had enough on our plate and I needed to forget about that. I agreed completely, but the next night I had the exact same dream. I told her I didn’t know why but felt like this was something God was wanting us to do. She said that if it was really from God then he would find a way to make it happen. From that point on, thoughts, ideas, plans, layouts, and numbers flooded my mind—so much so that some nights I could hardly sleep—I just felt I had to get everything out of my head and on to the computer. Read More>>
Alicia McCalla
I found my purpose as an author by recognizing the lack of representation of Black women, especially in the superhero genre. As a child, I loved characters like Wonder Woman but struggled to find role models that truly reflected me – a Black girl with big dreams and a sense of justice. I wanted to see Black women portrayed as powerful, courageous, and in roles of leadership. Read More>>
Paula Anderson
In 2015, I discovered my purpose when I shifted from a career. I went back to school to focus on journalism and public relations and after completing an internship, I noticed a change in my mental health. The internship allowed me to be creative, I had never operated in a creative space where I had the autonomy to write and express myself. It was a financial risk because I quit my full-time job to work an unpaid internship. However, it changed my life and I have no regrets. Read More>>
Sarah Jones
One of the great unanswered questions of life is what is my purpose? What am I here to do and share? For myself, I found a piece of the answer when I was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease in January 2020; an autoimmune disorder that presents as ranging chronic symptoms and pain. If you are unaware of this illness, I advise researching it and exploring its controversy in the Western Medical Field and U.S. Government. As a disabled individual it is difficult, if not impossible, to fit into the typical 9 to 5 job so that is where entrepreneurship enters the room. Read More>>
Kasia Goddard
I wouldn’t say I found my purpose, I feel like it was a package deal that came with my existence. I live by the words, “Be good, and do good,” so no matter where I am and what I’m doing I always aim to leave a meaningful impact on someone’s life, whether that be through art, volunteering, or my work. As a creative person, I continuously find new ways to incorporate art into any position I hold, seeking out design strategies to convey messages and stories and creating channels for other people to express themselves. I love making life itself colorful, especially for the people who’s life might be a little gray at a given moment, and I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. Read More>>
Jeanette Chenevert
I found my purpose through my anxiety. Strange, I know. I have suffered from anxiety for most of my life. Until recently, it wasn’t something that we discussed. I opened my craft store last July, so that anyone who suffers from stress and anxiety would have a safe place, and learn to cope through creativity. Read More>>
Jenny & Jules Casillas
As small business owners, we found our purpose by finding a way to help our community and our planet as whole with making sustainable and eco-friendly products. We always knew we wanted to share our unique creations with the world, but also find a way to make a bigger impact overall with these creations. We can proudly say that we have worked hard to make our purpose a reality, but the process has not always been easy. However, we will continue to be part of making our world a better place by creating products that are a contribution to your life but also, an add-on to our world. Read More>>
Dr. Lina Haji
I knew that I wanted to be a psychologist at the age of nine. I struggled with not eating for almost three months secondary to anxiety. My parents, obviously chronically worried, took me from doctor to doctor. I had been evaluated by multiple pediatricians, a neurologist, an ear nose and throat specialist amongst others. I even had a camera placed down my throat to ensure nothing was stuck. One day I visited yet another doctor. This doctor was different. She actively listened to how I felt, what i though, and how I was behaving. She asked questions that no other doctor had asked. I felt heard for the first time. I felt understood. Most importantly, I felt hope. I left that clinic and asked my mother, “What kind of doctor is she?” mY mother replied, “She is a psychologist.” I knew right then and there that I wanted to be a psychologist in adulthood. Read More>>
Purple Cactus Productions
We three creators of Purple Cactus have each come from a different part of the film industry, where we each experienced the shortfalls of the way the industry is structured both creatively and culturally. Sara is a working actress, Maria has experienced working closely with multiple successful directors, and Lily has worked extensively below-the-line on large-scale productions. Through these experiences, we each independently identified a need for a restructuring of the filmmaking process. Our industry as a whole, despite its growth over the last few years, is not structured to prioritize diversity in filmmaking voices and stories, nor is it built to prioritize the health and wellbeing of the crew members who dedicate their lives to this craft. Read More>>
