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Find Your Purpose
Writing a purpose statement is a solid first step to take on the road to happiness and personal satisfaction.
As you might remember, we laid out our six-step plan to move you toward a happier life. As a reminder, those steps include:
Develop A Purpose Statement
Once you have identified your purpose and developed your purpose statement, the path you should take becomes clearer. The statement — which some call a mission statement — establishes what’s important to you, and helps you steer the right course as you take charge of your own life, career and happiness.
A personal mission statement guides you to identifying your strengths, core values and beliefs. With these clear in your mind, you can determine the type of life you want to have.
Maybe you were meant to be a stay-at-home parent, or your life’s purpose would be best suited working for a church or a non-profit organization. Perhaps you are suited for an entrepreneurial lifestyle, or maybe you are meant more for the corporate world.
As you think through your strengths, values and beliefs, you’ll determine your path. No matter the route you choose, understanding these factors also helps you determine the kinds of people you want to surround yourself with in your personal life and your business life.
The biggest problem most people seem to have is not in wanting to develop a purpose statement, is in actually writing it. It requires some thought and careful, honest scrutiny of yourself to get to the core of who you are.
You will learn a lot about yourself as you go through this exercise, and you’ll find that setting clear goals becomes easier when you complete your project. We’ll guide you through it.
Identify Past Wins — What personal successes have you had in the last couple of years. Your wins could be at work, at home, or in your community. Write down as many as you can.
Determine Core Values — Make a list of the attributes which make you who you are, and which reflect your life priorities. Try…
