As we discussed in the last post, clarifying your purpose - or objective - is key to sharing your story in a way that will appeal to a prospective employer.  Or, for the self-employed, using your story to help raise capital or secure clients.

Life purpose is something that sounds big, daunting and elusive.  So let’s make it more concrete with some examples.

My life purpose is to help people achieve self-actualization through work.

Oprah’s life purpose is to be “a catalyst for transforming people's lives so that people can see themselves in the lives of other people.”

How do you sort out your life purpose?  First, keep in mind that the answer is inside you, and you’re familiar with it on some level, if not yet consciously.

Next, look for themes running through your life. These could be areas of interest or concern. 

   Examples of areas of interest: art, media, technology, science, sports, food, fashion, business, spirituality, pop culture.

   Examples of areas of concern: children, animals, domestic violence, environment, public health, poverty.

As you can see, areas of interest and concern may overlap.  As a general guide, areas of concern tend to be causes that reflect one’s values, whereas areas of interest likely speak to one’s talents and recreational activities.

While on first glance it may appear that areas of interest tend to be more for-profit oriented and areas of concern more non-profit/public sector-oriented, both categories can be approached from multiple industries.

Interests and concerns can be paired together in unusual ways that speak to the diversity of any given professional.  For example, Mike’s talents/interests may pull him toward a marketing role, while Mike’s concerns might influence him to seek out a role at an organization serving children.  Or Jan’s passion for the environment might cause her to seek out a role as a scientist or a lawyer who can advocate on behalf of the earth.

How heavily an area of interest or concern will influence one’s career is as unique as we are.  The key is that we shape our careers based on the things we like doing, and not just the things we like.

To illustrate, I might be passionate about public health but I may hate the sight of blood.  Rather than pursuing a role as a doctor, I’d do better if I worked in a role that I found empowering, whether lobbying the government for favorable policies, consulting with schools on health and fitness regimens, or coaching clients who seek to increase their wellness.

When determining your life purpose, start with yourself. What do you love, what do you think about, what inspires you?  Remember, the best gift you can give to the world is the gift of you!