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.
Jacqueline ‘Jax’ Crider
Honestly? I didn’t wake up one morning with a clear vision and a lightning bolt moment. I found my purpose the hard way—by trying to live everyone else’s version of success and realizing it was slowly crushing me. For years, I played by the rules. Read more>>
Cassie Ingram
I’ve always known I was meant to be an artist — it’s woven into the very core of who I am. Creating and designing for others, with the hope of bringing them joy, has always been my greatest motivation. Read more>>
Taylor Foreman
This is an important for any entrepreneur. For me, it started by finally acknowledge that I was created with purpose.. We all were. Through my faith I started asking ‘What is my purpose in this life God?’ and not long after the answers started coming to me. Read more>>
Lisa Gambon
My family has always been my first priority, and becoming a mother shaped so much of who I am. But it was after the birth of my fourth child that I truly discovered my purpose. During that experience, I recognized how vulnerable and overlooked mothers can feel in the hospital setting — and I was inspired to create something better. Read more>>
Valerie Saint Martin
We don’t find our purpose because we don’t have to look for it; it’s already within us. We tap into it by being and doing what makes us feel alive. We follow the clues. For me, that place has always been through creativity and music. At age four, I already loved singing. Read more>>
Kyle Best
Finance and helping people have always been two things I’ve been passionate about. I’ve always loved numbers and problem-solving, but even more than that, I’ve loved seeing how the right guidance can change someone’s life. God led me into this career at the perfect time, and I quickly realized being a loan officer was where I was meant to be. Read more>>
Brittany Plumeri
My path definitely wasn’t linear. I started out as a teacher—a job I loved, but somewhere along the way I lost myself in the routine of it all. It wasn’t until I became a mom that I realized just how disconnected I’d become from the version of me that dreamed big. Read more>>
Emily Cleary
I think a lot about the word purpose and what that means to me and it has and is still taking me time to understand it, I found a lot of my purpose in my job as a therapist and being able to create a safe space for healing for my clients, I also realized as I am expressing to my clients self-care is important I was not doing the same for myself which led me to dive back into putting time and love back into my radio show that was started back in my freshman year of college. Read more>>
Tunisha Andrews
Finding my purpose has been an evolution. I thought my purpose was to be a teacher for most of my life. That was it. Once I got into teaching, I realized that it didn’t light me up the way I thought it would. I love working with kids and helping them learn things and make progress they didn’t think they could achieve. Read more>>
Pavel Kolmogorov
In my case, it wasn’t so much a “finding” as it was an evolution. I grew up in a family where being a lawyer wasn’t just a profession, it was dinner table conversation. Picture this, instead of cartoons or video games, my brother and I were raised on spirited debates about politics, policy, and who left the lights on again. Read more>>
Christina Parise
Growing up, I never quite fit into the neat boxes that seemed to define middle and high school life. I was quirky but tried hard to blend in. I played sports, not because I loved them, but because my family really valued what they represented. To them, sports were healthy, built character, and taught teamwork and discipline, all things they wanted for me. Read more>>
Frank Andrade
I found my purpose through living, when I was in high school going to college I figured I just needed to pick a good and stable career. But due to some hardships in life that caused me to. drop out of college I ended asking myself what makes me truly happy and what can I do achieve that and my work now fulfills that Read more>>
Beverly Joyce
I have always loved art. I earned a BFA in studio art from the Memphis College of Art in 1980 and made a start as an exhibiting artist in my hometown of Memphis. Unfortunately, real life intervened, and I found myself a divorced mother of an infant. Read more>>
Sophia and Lucas Kreider
Sophia: For me, purpose came from a whole array of places from quieting my mind through meditation and mindfulness, accessing psychotherapy and other healing modalities to tend to my trauma, connecting with wise women, learning to recognize and trust my intuition. And, I’ll be doing this work for the rest of my life for we are always learning, always evolving. Read more>>
Jacob VanOpdorp
I found my purpose through a passion for photography and the outdoors. In high school, I spent nearly every weekend one summer either camping or mountain biking with my older brother. I wasn’t shooting photos at that point, but it helped me develop a deeper connection and understanding of the natural world. Read more>>
Chaniece Parsons
Purpose is a strong word. I would use motivation! When I was younger I would see all these health complications in my family and the toll it took to care for a person with certain illnesses. Read more>>
Sarah Joyce
From Bedside to Beauty For many years, I believed my future was already written. With a strong family legacy in nursing and healthcare, I assumed I would follow suit, especially after going to school for medical assisting and EMT, I ended up working as a Certified Nurse Assistant. Read more>>
Courtney Bentley
Just before my 21st birthday, I adopted a new puppy, Rusko. I had never been allowed to have a dog as a kid, and was ecstatic. My enthusiasm was quickly met with behavioral challenges of a working breed (cattle dog to be exact) and that’s where my journey truly began. Read more>>
Sean Hayes
When I think about my purpose in life, it all boils down to this: providing support and building safe community for trans and queer people. I got my heart for helping others as a young person growing up in church. Having a ‘servant heart’ was the foundation I learned about how to show up in the world. Read more>>
Sammy Kidd
From a young age Ive always ‘followed my bliss’ so to speak. Some might say, to a fault. I learned how to draw because It was a way I could enter my imagination. It did interfere with homework and school work. But I was always more interested in exercising that creative muscle. I knew early on I wanted to be a performer. Read more>>
Norah Shazad
I think I found purpose through A3 Central by realizing that creativity could be more than just expression, it could be impact. What started as a way for me to share poetry and design from the heart slowly turned into a space that connects people, uplifts stories, and builds community. Read more>>
Samantha Peters
I found my purpose through the very challenges that once felt like they would break me. Growing up in a home filled by trauma, illness, and scarcity, I often felt invisible, unworthy, and undeserving of love. Read more>>
Ryan Pavlovich
I first picked up a camera in college and loved it right away, but looking back I think the real influence started earlier. My dad used to make slideshows of his scuba diving trips, pairing his photos with music, and that’s when I first saw how powerful images and storytelling could be. Read more>>
Megan Nilsen
For years, I lived faithfully in the various roles entrusted to me: wife, mother of four, school counselor, bible study leader, mentor, and friend. I poured myself into people, listening deeply, offering wisdom, and creating safe spaces where others could process life. Read more>>
Vanessa Colangelo
If I hadn’t been forced to walk away from my full-time job, I don’t think I ever would’ve left. It was stable, familiar, and—by most people’s standards—“good.” But sometimes the ground has to shift beneath your feet for you to finally find your own balance. Read more>>
Fallon “It’s Bourbon Baby” Dupard
My purpose found me, probably over a good pour and great conversation. I’ve always had a passion for bringing people together, creating moments that feel like family, and celebrating culture with soul. Over time, I realized that bourbon wasn’t just a drink, it was a story, a connector, and a bridge between people and experiences. Once I understood that, everything clicked. Read more>>
Stacey Prado
I found my purpose once I started to develop a stronger relationship with God. When I was younger, I wanted to experience life and made mistakes along the way. Through trial and error, I prayed that God would open my path to where I belong. Read more>>
Luke Karmo
I found my purpose through exploration, by trying many different things and paying attention to what truly resonated with me. I was always open to new places, activities, and people, following my curiosity wherever it led. Eventually, that path brought me to an acting class. Out of all the adventures I’d experienced before, acting felt instantly in alignment with who I am. Read more>>
Regina Powers
I think I knew from a young age my soul purpose was in some way to assist others. Over time my capacity grew I learned it was about staying connected to myself, allowed my spirit to strength, discover less is more and being a catalyst for change occurs the more true I am in form. Read more>>
Jason McCobb
My purpose found me. I started out with the mission of building a local food system, I never signed on to teach kids. I wanted to be a farmer and grow food. Coming from a customer service background, I was taught to never say no. Read more>>
Jeremiah Richardson
After multiple work injuries that left Jeremiah 100% disabled he found himself wrapped in addiction and depression for over 10 years. A long hard battle he tried various business ventures to help offset his monthly disability payment to support his family. Read more>>
Chanel Bosh
I found my purpose in the middle of heartbreak.When my father passed away unexpectedly in 2018, our last conversation kept echoing in my mind. He told me how much he admired people who went after what they wanted in life, and that really stuck with me. At the time I was a professional actress, a career that I loved. Read more>>
Marieke Mertz
My purpose as an artist grew out of the different seasons of my life. I was born and raised an hour south of Amsterdam, in a country shaped by its well-known artists—and frequent rain. On rainy days as a child, I’d spend hours drawing, planting the first seeds of creativity, even as my studies and early career took me down other paths. Read more>>
Halee Sprinkle
’ve always loved helping people and sharing what I know, it’s just who I am. As an Enneagram 3w2, I’m driven by achievement but deeply motivated by connection and service. My childhood taught me that compassion and caring for others not only lift those around us but also help us grow individually. That spirit has carried through everything I do. Read more>>
Karen Kasaba
I remember as a kid, coming out of a matinee after seeing a really good film, and walking from the darkened theater out into bright daylight, filled with a sense of possibility. So energized by the multi-sensory experience of film. I grew up in the 70s, an iconic era for filmmaking. Read more>>
Leander ‘Lee Valentine’ Jones
I didn’t. Its been finding me my whole life. I’ve always been drawn to drawing. Even as a kid it was second nature. It was the one thing that never felt forced. For the longest time I treated it like a hobby. Something I did when I had time or was bored or when life slowed down enough for me to breathe. Read more>>
Edie Harper
I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t yearning to do something creative. One of my earliest memories is using up all the paper in my house and drawing dozens of characters, then covering my wall in them and keeping them up for inspiration to make more. Read more>>
Clementine Bastos
Finding my purpose wasn’t something that happened overnight — it really unfolded through connection and compassion. It began when I witnessed how deeply hair loss affects women, not just on the outside, but on a deeply emotional level. Helping even one woman see herself in the mirror again and smile — that moment lit something in me. Read more>>
Brooke Stone
I found my purpose through photographing weddings. At first, it was just about creating beautiful images, but I quickly realized it was about more than that—it’s preserving fleeting, honest moments that become someone’s legacy. Weddings hold so much connection and emotion, and capturing that with intention and artistry is where I feel most at home. Read more>>
Dr Joe Mather
1) Grew up in the shadow of my Dad and Grandfather who were both doctors in my small down 2) University of Notre Dame gave a scholarship to live and work in Calcutta India with Mother Teresa’s Catholic order Daughters of Charity, and I was exposed to true suffering. Since then I always just wanted to help those that were suffering the most. Read more>>
Neeta Mittal
My purpose has always been the same: to design how culture is felt, not just seen. It just took me a while to recognize it. It began with dance — where I learned that movement could hold emotion, that rhythm could tell a story without language. Then came film, where I tried to capture that same emotion in light and frame. Read more>>
Cassandra Torres
I think I found my purpose by following the thread that’s always been there, a mix of creativity, connection, and how much I care for people. My background was in retail, and while I started out studying photography, I quickly discovered that I loved the environment of helping others and building teams. Read more>>
Joi Schweitzer
For me, my purpose is my calling. It’s not something one would chase out there somewhere; it’s an assignment. A legacy. An eternal destiny that’s been written into the person from the very beginning. I didn’t wake up one day and stumble into mine, it was revealed in layers, often through dreams, disappointment, and seasons I didn’t understand at the time. Read more>>
Robin Moore
I found purpose when I realized that growing food, especially mushrooms, could be more than just a business. It became a way to connect people to their food, support local farmers, and build something sustainable for my community. I truly enjoyed growing mushrooms, and along the way, I discovered that following my passion brought me genuine happiness and fulfillment. Read more>>
Sarah Wilson
Well, first, let’s define what my purpose is. My purpose has always been, for as long as I can remember, to help someone—a deep, unwavering desire to be there for anyone in need. I started my journey in the first responder field, first as an EMT and then as a 911 police/fire dispatcher. Read more>>
Zoe Esser
I think I first found my purpose when I realized that what I loved most about production wasn’t just creating something beautiful, it was being part of something bigger than myself. I’ve been drawn to storytelling since I was twelve, when I joined the Mayor’s Youth Task Force in my hometown of South Saint Paul. Read more>>
Danny Blacker
It took me quite a while to find my purpose in life. Had I been paying more attention while going through life, I would probably have recognized a theme in the way I approached problems. At this point, I believe my purpose is to make the lives of others better through product design. Read more>>
Elléna Lourens
I don’t know that I’ve found my ‘purpose’ per say, but I have found it to be true that pursuit of that which excites, and intrigues me, gaining knowledge and skill on the things that I find inspiring and which intimidate me has felt immensely fulfilling, and has brought me the closest in alignment with how I imagine ‘purpose’ to feel. Read more>>
Erin Bright
For me, finding my purpose wasn’t about chasing it down. It was about waiting for it, letting it unfold in its own, and trusting the timing. I didn’t rush it into existence. I allowed it to grow, to shift my understanding, and even shift my understanding of me. Read more>>
John Bradley Jackson
It begs the question what is purpose? I’ve come to believe it’s not a single, fixed destination but something that evolves over time. Purpose is the sense of direction and meaning that guides our actions and gives significance to our lives. It’s the “why” behind what we do. It is an evolving motivation that connects our values, passions, and contributions to something larger than ourselves. Read more>>
