Many people subscribe to the idea that as you transition into adulthood, you should attempt to “find yourself.”  This phenomenon was meant to describe how every person has a predetermined purpose here on earth.  Do you believe that there is a predestined version of yourself that you need to discover?  Or do you feel you can make life whatever you want it to be?  Creating yourself versus finding your purpose is like comparing fate versus free will.

The argument for destiny:

To believe in finding yourself is to believe that there is one predestined path you are supposed to walk down.  Just as a GPS navigation system can tell you more than one way to reach your destination, life can veer off to different paths. But ultimately, you will always end up where you were meant to be.  People often cite examples of rare coincidences and random acts that lead to great rewards as examples of destiny at play.  

Believing in destiny does not have to be all or nothing.  You can decide how much you believe that destiny is at work in your life.  Although you cannot choose things such as the family you are born into or your height or eye color, you can choose how you use these factors in your daily life. 

We are free to use our Free Will:

Believing in free will is having faith in your ability to make decisions based on your knowledge and experience without any influence of a higher power.  People who choose not to believe in destiny and subscribe to the idea that they are in control of their lives don’t often explore the mysteries of life.  Instead, they believe that setting goals and working towards them is the only way to achieve what you want.  Free will insists that we take action to move toward our purpose. 

Living with purpose:

Incorporating ideas of destiny and free will can help you discover your purpose.  When you create goals that help you work toward your purpose, then you are using free will to create the life you want. 

Examples of finding your purpose are:

• Feeling a calling to live a certain way (think monks and priests).
• Volunteering or working for a cause you believe in.
• Creating a business that contributes to a cause you believe in.
• Creating art of any kind

The concepts of destiny and free will can help you create the life you want to live.  Using methods of manifestation (destiny) while pursuing realistic goals (free will), you can create your own reality.  A life lived without purpose can still have success and many valuable attributes. However, finding your purpose will enrich every other positive characteristic of your life.  

How to find your purpose:

If you are uncertain about what your calling is, there are a few steps you can take to find it. For starters, let’s zoom out and not think too narrowly. Sometimes, your calling is just to be a helping person, and you find many ways to do that in your life. For others, if you feel a specific calling but are not sure how to put it into action, let’s take some steps in that direction.

1. What do you do with your free time?

Imagine you find yourself with a half-day all to yourself. There is no work to be done, no chores at home to manage, you have an afternoon free to yourself, and you can spend it however you like. What would you plan for yourself on a day like this? Whether your answer is shopping, reading, or going on a hike, there is a clue or two in your answer. If you like reading, is it possible because you dream of being a writer? Or would you enjoy sharing your love of books in a book club-type setting? Expand on the topic by thinking of ways you can do what you love and share it with others. Perhaps think back to what types of hobbies you enjoyed as a child.

2. What have you recently heard or seen someone else do that you found intriguing?

We all know the “Why didn’t I think of that?” feeling. When you hear of a friend or colleague traveling to Tanzania to help impoverished children or fostering dogs from the local shelter, and you think, “I wish I could do that,” it may be a huge clue to follow that feeling. You don’t have to take it to the same level they did, but perhaps it’s time to track that person down and ask them questions about how they got started. You never know where it might lead you.

3. What could be holding you back from Finding your purpose?

When we feel insecure about stepping out of our comfort zone, we often come up with excuses or reasons why we cannot do something. Many of us feel that we don’t have the time or that leaving our steady job to follow a passion is too risky a move. And perhaps, these are real obstacles in your way of following your passions. However, for every challenge, there is a solution. If you cannot do things the way you want to, perhaps there is an adjusted schedule or modification to your dream you can make that would be a good substitute or a foot-in-the-door type of strategy. For example, if you want to leave your current steady job to pursue a career as a writer, Can you start with freelance work or create a blog and take it from there? Perhaps you want to share your love of animals with the world but can’t afford to open a pet shop. Could you start a pet-sitting business or a YouTube channel sharing your knowledge of animals? Look for new and different ways to share your interests that work with your current schedule and budget.

I hope this article helps you discover parts of yourself you haven’t before or at least gives you the curiosity to start exploring. Finding your purpose is something each person is entitled to in this life and not something everyone gets to achieve. Set your course on self-discovery, and don’t stop until you’ve landed on your true calling.

Please comment below to share your ideas for your calling and how you discovered it. You never know who you could inspire.

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