Your Purpose is: its not who we aspire to be, its who we are at our natural best, its the value we provide to others and the reason why our family, friends or colleagues love us. Its everlasting and applies to our personal and professional life in the same way, there are no two different purposes. Its the way we would like to contribute and the impact we would like to have in this world as this is what drives us and leads to fulfillment.
What its not:
its not money, because money is an outcome and money is not fulfilling, ask what do you want to do for others with that money?
its not family, because your purpose is who you are wherever you are, at home and at work. Family is a what, the reason your family loves you is the same reason your friend, your colleague or client loves you.
Its always about others because of the difference between happiness and fulfillment. If you are in service to others you are in best service to yourself as you experience the deepest fulfillment.
its just two themes from all themes collected, one with the most unique contribution and one with the greatest impact, the rest of the themes will become your HOW
Top Questions
Imagine 5 different careers in 5 different universes, what would they be? Why?
What do you like to teach younger people?
What would you create if you knew you could not fail?
In what area do family and friends ask for your advice?
What have people told you you should do?
What activity can you do over and over again and still enjoy?
When you wine and dine with friends, what are the most interesting topics to you?
What are things that you are curious about? What do you like to read and learn about?
Other Questions that might be useful:
Which movie would you like to be?
What did you like to play as a child?
What would be the worst job you can imagine? or what would be the worst job someone could suggest
What was the worst job you ever had?
What are you really good at?
What do you like to talk about with your friends?
What career or job suggestions have you gotten from friends and family?
What would be the worst job someone could suggest to you? Whats the opposite?
What gives you energy?
What gets you into a flow state?
What did you learn really fast?
In your past career, what kind of jobs did you enjoy?
What is really easy for you?
Imagine 80th Birthday, what have you achieved?
Write down everything you don´t want and then the opposite
In which area would you like to serve others, not where you can make the most money
Write down: I believe that…(your beliefs are your strengths)
Write down: I feel that I am growing when…
What do you or would you like to teach to younger people?
What kind of person are you?
What are you currently not happy with? Why?
Describe your perfect day
What is your dream job that you cannot do?
List 20 things that you like doing
What do you like to read?
What music do you like?
How do you like to travel?
What excites you?
What motivates you?
Where have you gotten great results in the past?
What would your ideal life look like in 5 years?
With which principles or values where you raised?
What principles or values do you believe in?
What is on your bucket list?
What kind of skills did you enjoy acquiring in the past?
What area(s) of your past jobs have you enjoyed to work at?
When you think you have found something:
Do you feel fulfilled after doing this work?
Are you looking forward to this work?
Do you feel energized after doing the work?
Write down how you would like to be remembered
A belief is a poor substitute for an experience. Go out there and try the things that you are curious about. You could just do sth. that interest you on the weekend and see how it actually feels like pursuing what you belief could be worth pursuing.
Simon Sinek Find your Why:
Who in your life has helped make you the person you are today (teacher, family member, mentor)? Write down a time when they did something that you admire most about them. Could be an interaction with you or with someone else. How did hearing their words or watching their actions make you feel? Who else helped shape who you are today? Repeat as often as you like
Think of a day at work when at the end of the day you might have said to yourself “I could have done that for free”. What happened that day to make you say that?
Think of your worst day at work - the kind of day you hope never to go through again. What happened?
What is the earliest, specific, happy childhood memory that comes to your mind?
At school what was an experience you loved?
What has been a pivotal moment in your life, one when you realized nothing would ever be the same?
What happened that changed the way you think about the world and your role in it?
What was a time when you gave of yourself to help someone else, after which you felt unbelievably good - like you had done something that mattered?
What have you accomplished that you´re really proud of? Who helped you, who cheered for you, who was waiting the finish line?
Please don´t overanalyze your stories. You are just the storyteller your partner is the interpreter and the one to find patterns, themes and meaning in them. You can tie them together later, if you tie them together now you will risk tellting them in a way that just confirms your theory.