The 3 most common misconceptions around life purpose: here’s why you can’t find it
A lot of people go through life without ever asking themselves what its meaning is and why they’re alive, basically living on autopilot: go to school, wait for weekends and holidays, get a job, wait for weekends and holidays, start a family, wait for weekends and holidays, retire and still wait for holidays and weekends, because those are the only opportunities to see their children and grandchildren.
Hopefully, this isn’t you, otherwise you wouldn’t be here, reading an article about life purpose, right?!
Related article:
“What’s your life purpose? How to discover it and build your life around it”
Searching for answers
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been asking yourself those big question since you were young, then life got in the way and you stopped looking for the answers.
Then, on an ordinary day, you find yourself feeling restless, wondering whether having a decent job, a family and some good friends is really all there is.
Maybe this happened to you while on a holiday, especially if you were travelling abroad and experiencing new different worlds of possibilities.
Read also: “Your choices determine your life”
Perhaps you lost your job, despite all the hard work and sacrifices you made; or you suddenly got sick, despite your healthy lifestyle; whatever the circumstances, you found yourself searching for answers, for more meaning, for a reason to get up in the morning that’s got nothing to do with your alarm going off.
Why are you here?
If you’ve been trying to discover what your life purpose is and how you can actually align your life to it, you know how hard it is to embark on such a journey, mainly because it’s not a quick one.
In fact, it may take you years to figure out what you came here to do on Planet Earth and how to do it.
You may at one (or more than one) point get lost along the way and even decide to give up and just settle for the life most people accept without questioning…
Don’t close that door!
…work, raise your kids, save for the future or for some fun & comfort, work some more, retire, regret what you didn’t do.
No, please, don’t! Don’t give up just yet!
Don’t push close the door you once dared to open just because it’s hard!
Finding your own special “why” is the most rewarding feeling you’ll ever know!
So, if you feel like maybe there’s no such thing as a life purpose, that it’s just a luxury you can’t afford or some spiritual crisis you’re going through right now, hang in there, keep reading.
I’m going to reveal you the 3 most common misconceptions around life purpose that may be keeping you stuck while on your personal quest.
Let’s get started!
1 – Your life purpose must be cool
Let me be very clear: your life purpose doesn’t have to be cool!
We’re not all here to find a cure for cancer (even though it would be great), or to win a Nobel Prize.
Some of us may accomplish extraordinary things while alive and get recognized or even become famous for that, but not everyone will and that’s OK.
Your life purpose can be something as simple as being active in your local community and do some good there, so don’t worry about it not being fancy enough.
That’s not the point of uncovering your purpose. If you need your purpose to be exceptional in order to pursue it, then I’m afraid you’re going after it for the wrong reason.
We all have our unique mission and no matter how small or simple our contribution to the world may seem, we’re all accomplishing something special when we embrace our purpose.
Remember, your main purpose is to figure out who you are and have the courage to be that person.
As a result of that, you will be able to use your own skills, gifts, talents and struggles to uplift yourself and others, to solve problems.
2 – Your life purpose must be your career
Here’s another reason while you’re not making any progress on your purpose journey.
I must say this is probably the most common misconception around life purpose and probably the most insidious because it may keep you stuck in the loop of job hopping.
The truth is this isn’t an equation: my life purpose is the perfect job/career path for me.
If you think your life purpose is simply what you do for a living, you are limiting yourself.
How you pay your bills is one thing, but it’s not necessarily the reason why you’re alive.
You can be happy in your current job and still feel like you have a different purpose; just as you could be changing jobs because you’re dissatisfied and still not being able to find the one that gives you a sense of purpose.
Related article: “From passion to business: how to take the leap in 5 steps”
Like I said, this isn’t an equation. That’s why you need to stop expecting things to work that way.
Let me give you an example: you may be a lawyer or a teacher (liking or not your job) and discover that your life purpose is to be an animal advocate and to foster dogs. This doesn’t mean you now have to quit your job to follow your purpose, not unless that’s what you really want. You can do both!
Our life purpose is also the result of what we have gone through in our past lives (if you don’t believe in reincarnation you can think of what you went through in this one life), therefore it may have little to do with professions and a lot to do with personal lessons.
As we incarnate again and again, we are challenged to grow, to improve ourselves, to face the challenges we’re given, to put our gifts and abilities to good use, rather than wasting them. All this to become wiser life after life, after life (or year after year).
3 – Embracing your life purpose means change your life completely
Says who? And why would that be?
I don’t know why we tend to be so extreme, but I know it rarely helps.
Assuming that once you figure out what your life purpose is you need to radically change your life is probably the reason why you still haven’t figured it out.
The idea of having to leave everything behind in order to pursue your life calling is scary, so remaining in search mode feels a lot more comforting.
You don’t have to quit a job that works just fine for you, end a relationship, move to another country or go live in ashram to pursue your purpose, unless that’s exactly what you want to do!
As I said, your life purpose may be closer to you than you think, it may be already part of your life, hidden in your passions or in the causes you support.
Chances are you don’t really need to make any big changes to fully embrace your path, you simply have to recognize it, make a commitment and dare to start walking on it.
Once you take the first steps into your newly found direction, you’ll notice that the Universe (or God, or whatever you call it) will conspire to bring you everything you need for your journey: the right experiences, the people you need to meet, the tools you must learn to use and the opportunities to do so.
When you manage to align your life with your purpose miracles literally happen, along with coincidences and constant “signs” from your guides (or angels, or ancestors) to reassure you that you’re on the right track.
Life really becomes magic, yet simple at the same time.
So please, don’t make it more complicated than it has to be, let yourself be guided by your own intuition and forget about career, status and achievements.
Let go of the need to be someone “special”, you are anyway. Your life purpose must feel “cool” to you, not because of society standards, but because it makes you feel alive, it makes you use your full potential, and it brings you joy.
That’s it. This is all you need to know.
Latest articles
Articles
4 Things you need to know before starting your own business
So you’ve decided to finally take the leap and start your own business, congratulations! I know how much courage it takes to make this decision; I have been there and I’m still here almost five years later. Being an entrepreneur is extremely rewarding, but it’s also...
From passion to business: how to take the leap in 5 steps
Have you ever dreamed of turning your passion or one of your hobbies into a business? I mean, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be paid to do what you love? Shocker: it is! Picture yourself waking up every morning feeling excited about starting your day, instead of...
Boundaries: why they’re so important and 5 tips to start setting some
Do you know the secret to have happy relationships? It’s staying single, go live in the middle of nowhere (choose among the top of a mountain, a forest with no direct trail to it, or an island in the middle of an Ocean of your choice) and be completely...
New Year’s resolutions: why they don’t work and what to do instead
Is that time of year again, when you look at yourself in the mirror, grab your brand new fancy planner and begin to write down your new year’s resolutions. You feel excited to finally lose weight, or change job, or start that business, so you apply yourself...
You can create the life you want
2020 has undoubtedly forced us to look at ourselves and our lives in a different, more profound way. Many clients, friends and connections all around the world are telling me how they’re painfully realizing that they’re not as happy as they thought they were. Choices...
Your choices determine your life
Have you ever noticed how people who complain about their life or a specific situation they’re in often seem to think that external or random causes only are responsible for their problems? They don’t even entertain the possibility that the quality of their life has...
Turning your passion into a business: is it a good idea?
I get asked this question almost every day lately and not only because of my job, but also because I did actually turn my passion into a business. In my case, my passion was personal development, which led me to train as a Life & Business Coach and then start my...
What’s your life purpose? How to discover it and build your life around it.
Maybe you ask yourself this question every Monday morning when your alarm goes off and you dread facing another day at work; or maybe you’ve found yourself pondering about the meaning of life itself while watching a beautiful sunset on the beach. Whether you’re...
Get out of your comfort zone!
How many times have you heard the expression “get out of your comfort zone”? But most of all, are you sure you know what it truly means? Let’s start from the beginning. Your comfort zone is that lovely place where you need to make no effort at all to function in any...
What happens during a life coaching session?
One of the most common questions my clients ask me when they first contact me is “what exactly are we going to do during our sessions?” This may seem counter intuitive to you, but it’s actually a very good question and one I’m always glad to answer. Being curious...
Why we quit: 4 reasons and 4 strategies to help you
We've all quit something at some point in our life, right? Sometimes quitting may even be the for the best! But what if it's not? Let's see the 4 reasons why we quit! There are many reasons why we quit working on our goals and projects and even though sometimes...
The difference between coaching, therapy and consulting.
Do you really know the difference between coaching, therapy and consulting? Here's a brief article to help you choose the best practice for you. If you ever considered working with a professional to overcome some personal or work challenges at least once in your life,...
TESTIMONIALS
This is what some of my clients say about me. Thank you!
Ferruccio pastore
“Working with Chiara has been a revealing experience. I had the chance to uncover sides of myself I had never considered before and I also worked on my own potential, which I had been unable to recognize, because I was clouded by negative thoughts.
I never felt judged, and I could talk freely about what was making feel confused. Chiara was also very patient and available even in between sessions if I wanted to reach out to her. Something worth noting is her flexible approach, meaning that she was able to understand what I needed in each moment and therefore to adapt to it.
When I started the sessions, I was deeply confused about various aspects of my life. The first goal was getting some clarity, then we started working towards the goals that emerged during the sessions. I’m glad I manage to unravel those intricated thoughts that had been with me for a while and I also feel full of energy, because I have goals to achieve.
I definitely recommend Chiara, simply because I got so many benefits, some of which become evident even at the end of the program. “
Ferruccio pastore
Alessandra Mudu
“Working with Chiara has been a stimulating and enriching experience. Chiara has been a valuable ally during a transition, fully present even in between sessions.
I really appreciated being able to work on what was coming up in the moment, without forcing things, yet remaining goal oriented.
As a result of working with Chiara I gained a clearer perspective over what I was going through and what I had to let go; I took a break, processed the end of a phase in my life and started over with renewed awareness.
Chiara is open and transparent, she helped me see things from a distance and explore what needed to be healed. Anyone would benefit from working with her and I highly recommend her to all those who tend to challenge themselves. Coaching is for you if you want to take your own personal development to a new level.”
Alessandra Mudu
TAKE THE FIRST STEP TO CREATE THE LIFE YOU WANT!
Profession regulated in accordance with italian law 4/2013 | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy