"Your purpose isn't a goal you check off; it's the ongoing impact you choose to make every day."
Adam Kreek
Executive Business Coach
How to find your Purpose
posted in Leadership
Contents
How to Find Your Purpose
Purpose is the fuel that powers courage and quiets fears. It’s the force that pushes you to make meaningful decisions and take bold action–to work hard, endure pain and act in the face of uncertainty.
Purpose is deeply connected to our contribution to others. A strong set of values is vital because it not only ensures that we live in alignment with who we are but also strengthens the way we carry out our purpose, ensuring our efforts have both impact and meaning. Together, purpose and values create a powerful foundation for fulfillment and resilience.
But finding your purpose can feel daunting, even overwhelming. As an executive coach and keynote speaker, I’ve seen firsthand how clarity of purpose transforms leaders and organizations. It’s why I devoted significant focus to purpose in my book The Responsibility Ethic. Purpose doesn’t just guide—it energizes, inspires, and drives you forward.
Purpose is your unwavering "why"—the driving force that propels you forward, fuels your courage, and silences your fears. It's the unrelenting reason that compels you to act, rooted deeply within your core beliefs.
As Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." While Nietzsche emphasizes the resilience that a strong purpose provides, he frames it as a way to endure hardship—a worst-case scenario. This perspective underscores the importance of purpose but risks undervaluing the critical role of the how. Neglecting the how—your values and approach—is not sustainable for long-term performance or fulfillment. Dig into the biography of Nietzsche and see what happened when he did not live his values; it wasn't pretty.
The how represents the character traits and states that guide the way you engage with the world. These values shape your behaviors, decisions, and interactions, ensuring your actions are consistent with your identity. They inform your principles. Without a well-defined how, even the most compelling why can lose its power. A poorly executed how creates misalignment, leading to burnout, ethical compromises, or a disconnection from what truly matters to you.
Values are not simply tools to execute purpose; they are foundational to how you experience life and contribute meaningfully to others. Your how defines the quality of your efforts and ensures your actions remain authentic and impactful. By living your values, you maintain integrity, strengthen relationships, and sustain the energy required to pursue your purpose. Purpose might give direction, but values determine the journey.
When purpose and values align, they create a virtuous cycle: your why fuels your commitment to contribute, while your how ensures you execute with clarity and authenticity. This alignment is the cornerstone of a fulfilling and sustainable life. It’s not just about enduring; it’s about thriving. As much as the why drives us, the how sustains us, and both are indispensable for true success and fulfillment.
If you’re ready to uncover your purpose, try one of these proven frameworks from thought leaders or mix and match to find what resonates most with you.
1. Austin Belcak’s Practical Path
Austin Belcak offers a direct and actionable approach to discovering your purpose.
- Start with a Dream: Set aside limitations and ask, “If I could be doing anything in five years, what would it be?”
- Learn from Others: Use LinkedIn to identify 30 people currently living that dream.
- Have Conversations: Reach out to these individuals to learn what they love, what they’d change, and what their day-to-day looks like.
- Dive Deeper: Explore the field through introductory courses, books, or other resources.
- Reassess and Adjust: If it doesn’t resonate, drop it and try another path.
This method emphasizes exploration and adaptability, allowing you to refine your understanding of what truly excites you.
2. Stephen Kotler’s Curiosity Intersection
Stephen Kotler’s approach leverages curiosity to reveal your purpose:
- Make a List: Identify 25 things you’re curious about. Be as specific as possible.
- Find Intersections: Look for where your curiosities overlap. These intersections are fertile ground for creativity and innovation.
- Play and Explore: Engage with these interests daily through lectures, articles, and practice.
- Share Your Ideas: Go public with your thoughts to spark deeper passion and collaboration.
- Align Passion with Purpose: Identify 15 large-scale problems you want to solve and connect your passions to making an impact.
Kotler’s process connects intellectual curiosity with meaningful action, creating a pathway to a fulfilling purpose.
3. Simon Sinek’s Origin Story Method
Simon Sinek’s method focuses on finding your “why” through reflection and storytelling:
- Gather Stories: Reflect on key moments in your life—successes, failures, and defining experiences.
- Identify Themes: Look for patterns in your stories that resonate deeply with who you are.
- Draft Your Why Statement: Express your purpose in a single sentence, emphasizing how you contribute to others and the impact you create.
Sinek emphasizes the connection between your past and your purpose, helping you identify what’s always driven you at your best.
Why Purpose Matters
In The Responsibility Ethic, I explore how purpose enables leaders to step into uncertainty and make courageous decisions. Purpose isn’t a destination; it’s a journey of alignment with what matters most. It gives your actions meaning and keeps you resilient in the face of challenges.
Your purpose is deeply personal, but it becomes a powerful tool for influence and impact when paired with CLEAR Goals, values and actionable steps. Start small, stay curious, and trust the process.
As you explore these methods, ask yourself: What is the impact of the work I’m most proud of? What contribution lights me up? What legacy do I want to leave?
Purpose isn’t just a philosophical exercise—it’s your foundation for growth, leadership, and fulfillment. What step will you take today to find yours?