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We are all here for a reason. In other words, we each have a life purpose. |
Not to mention the fact that most successful people believe they are fulfilling their destiny or have found their 'niche' in life.
So with that in mind, let's work with the premise that we are all here for a reason.
Discovering Your Life Purpose
Perhaps you're one of the lucky people who've always known their life's purpose.
| At forty years old, Marie was a renowned violin teacher, one of the first to bring the Suzuki method to Canada. In an interview with us she revealed, "I always knew I wanted to play the violin. I remember being three years old and thinking, 'Can I play the violin yet?' For some reason I didn't think to voice my thoughts to my parents. At four I asked myself again, 'Is it time for me to play the violin?' Finally at five, I knew that it was and asked my mother if I could learn. She said yes and arranged for my first lesson. And I thought, 'At last!'" |
Other children don't hesitate but begin using their natural talents without waiting for permission:
| Brad Sugars, the thirty-one year-old Australian marketing guru, explains in his book, Billionaire in Training, how his gifts manifested themselves early in his life: |
What did you want when you were a child? What talents manifested themselves early, only to be squashed by well-meaning adults or supplanted by practical considerations as you grew older.
If you're doing exactly what you want in your life, or at least something you enjoy, then you probably don't need the information on this page.
If you're on a track of your own choosing, you can use the mindset techniques to enhance your journey. But if you feel that you've lost your way at some point, the following process may help you clarify your purpose.
Your Unique Talents
Best selling author Barbara Sher has this to say about your talents:
You should be doing what you're gifted at, not what you're skilled at.
Take a look at everything you've ever enjoyed doing in your life. These activities all point to a talent.
Here is a fairly lengthy process to help you discover your talents. It will take you several weeks to do thoroughly but again, it's worth the time and effort if you want to know who you really are.
Draw a table as follows:
| Activity | What I Loved Most About It | Identify a Theme/ Purpose | How to Make it a Career | Thoughts on Career: 5 Years Later | Thoughts on Career:10 Years Later |
| Walking home from school | Having quiet time to think and fantasize | I enjoy my own company | I could work as a freelance writer | I would need more human interaction. I could become a travel writer | I would own a publishing company |
Your first table will cover your ages from 3-12.
- In the first column, list an activity you loved doing.
- Then write what you loved most about doing this.
- Can you identify a theme in the activity? You may need to list several more activities before you begin to see a theme emerge.
- Fantasize about making an incredibly successful career out of this activity or theme. What might it be?
- Extend the fantasy 5 years into the future. Is this career still satisfying? Or do you need to change it?
- Take it another 5 years into the future. Are you still satisfied? Or do other desires emerge from this scenario?
Create two more tables for ages 13-19 and 20-30 and repeat the process for each time period.
At the end of this process, one of the fantasy careers may start to take hold in your imagination. As you mull over the information you've discovered, one may begin to feel right, like a pair of comfortable old shoes.
This is the one you should follow up on.
Try one activity related to this career path. It will give you a sense of whether it's worth taking further.
If you wish to explore this method in detail, you'll find the full exercise in Barbara Sher's excellent book, Live the Life You Love.
Your Next Step:
- Once you know your life purpose, you're now ready to move on to goal setting.
| Disclaimer: This site is purely educational and we make no claims or guarantees with regard to the information presented. Please consult a certified NLP practitioner for individual coaching in the use of NLP techniques. We strongly advise consulting a financial industry professional before embarking on a wealth creation journey. |
