Discovering your purpose..

[starlet]

How old were you and how did you discover it?

I did not discover my purpose until I was a few months shy of 24. It literally came out of the blue as I was relaxing at the beach, I "heard" a "voice" clearly tell me. It was something I had not ever even seriously considered and brushed it off. That night, in a dream, a man walked up to be and said to me, I will never forget the exact wording as long as I live: "Look you little moron. You asked about your purpose, I told you, then you pull this denial bull with me?! Read my lips, this is your purpose, this is why you chose to come down to this midhole again. So shut up, get your that negative crap out of your head and start living it!"

I woke up laughing, as I knew I needed a kick in the backside and boy howdy did I get one! Not sure who that man was exactly, but sometimes I see him out of the corner of my eye on the street, or he pops up in my dreams.

[rene_stpierre]

Starlet,

You are lucky your purpose came to you as easily.

I found mine about 1 year ago, I was 34. I really had to look hard at the various phases of my life and career and do various exercices to find it.

But finally, I found a way to combine my passion and helping others into what is now ... my purpose.

René

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

that's a great story, and so, what is exactly your purpose?


Not really sure about mine yet. I am 23. I just know I feel some sort of calling to do some contribution, I just don't know exactly about the HOW. It may be linked with communication.

[starlet]

My purpose is to bring joy to others, to entertain, to make others laugh. Currently I am fulfilling that by doing Improv comedy and injuring myself weekly by walking across live mousetraps barefoot and blindfolded. My group and I just had to imitate our favorite improv comedians

[judge45]

I thought it was to be the best darn human bone bag I could be and to leave the world a better place for having me here.

Now I think it's actually about connecting to my true self and the power that resides there, oh yeah and that other stuff above

HTH

Jeff

[ahimel]

I was 9253 days old when I discovered it (March 19, 2007 for those who don't know my birthday). I used Steve's exercise, and just started writing stuff down. After about 25 minutes, I ran out of ideas, and sat staring into space for a couple minutes. I decided to re-read my notes, hoping for inspiration, and the last thing I'd written was

To lead people from despair

I stared at it for a couple of minutes, then burst into tears.

-------------------------------------
Not as exciting as Starlet's story, but what can you do? I wish I had a little man to kick me in the butt when I need it.

Although sometimes I get this look from God. Like the time I was reaching across my soda for the laptop power cord, and had this really strong feeling that if I didn't move the soda first, it was going to spill. I ignored it, but sure enough, when I pulled the power cord towards me, it knocked the soda over. I said to God, "I don't think I deserved that." And he didn't say anything, I could just feel this kind of raised-eyebrow, don't pull that crap with me, kid look.

[llong]

Awesome stories!

I never discovered my life's purpose; instead, it has evolved over time. It started when I was 18, and I continue to refine it.

[starlet]

Originally Posted by ahimel

Not as exciting as Starlet's story, but what can you do? I wish I had a little man to kick me in the butt when I need it.

You want him? You can have him, he's my spirit guide and he has a stick up his ethereal arse.

Its nice that people have discovered their purpose, I ask most of my friends and they look at me like I'm nuts.

[theknightwhosaysni-NI]

Originally Posted by starlet

My purpose is to bring joy to others, to entertain, to make others laugh. Currently I am fulfilling that by doing Improv comedy and injuring myself weekly by walking across live mousetraps barefoot and blindfolded. My group and I just had to imitate our favorite improv comedians

lol
well it makes sense...you know, this funny spirit guide and your purpose. You have to not take life too seriously with this guy. Seems to work

By the way, I saw an improv comedy for the first time in my life two weeks ago and that was greeaat! but that's another topic

[Freelancer]

I have no idea, and its frustrating beyond believe...

[ahimel]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

I have no idea, and its frustrating beyond believe...

What have you tried to find it?

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by ahimel

What have you tried to find it?

Steve's excersize and a few I found on the web, haven't figured it out yet...

You know that feeling that the answer is at the tip of your tongue but it just won't come out, I'm at that point now...

[starlet]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

Steve's excersize and a few I found on the web, haven't figured it out yet...

You know that feeling that the answer is at the tip of your tongue but it just won't come out, I'm at that point now...

Then "let go and let God" or whatever. Surrender and it will come to you.

[ahimel]

Originally Posted by starlet

Then "let go and let God" or whatever. Surrender and it will come to you.

I'd agree. In Is Your Genius At Work? he talks about people who found their genius or their purpose while walking along a riverbank, throwing sticks in the water. Or staring at the ceiling. Starlet found hers(his?) while sitting on a beach. Because these things are so deeply rooted in us, sometimes it can only come out through the subconscious. The exercises and the work can help us uncover enough of the subconscious that the purpose can emerge, but that's as far as your brain can take you.

So I'd take up meditation. Or long walks in the moonlight. Or listening to techno. Or whatever it takes for you to stop thinking so much. I wouldn't recommend doing something else that requires thought - that will take your mind off finding your purpose, but still block the subconscious just as much. But that's different for everyone. I sing. Some people wash dishes. I had a friend who had a "study movie" - one that she'd watched so many times, it didn't take any thought or effort for her to follow it, and so she could study while watching it.

[CoachChar]

I've had very noticeable urgings toward my purpose since my mid-20s. As a child and adolescent I feel like I spent a lot of time suffering, struggling, and thinking about why. It was a hard row to hoe, but I didn't spend a whole lot of time actually feeling sorry for myself. I was often grateful for the hard experiences because part of me had faith or understanding that there was always a really good reason for me to go through whatever I was going through. So, I'd just look at each trial as an opportunity to grow and become stronger. And I cried as much as I felt I needed to.

I didn't have any well-phrased statement of purpose until 2006 when I took a class in coaching school. The class is called Living Your Vision and it's open to anyone, not just coaching students. We did exercises to discover our purpose. It was intense.

My purpose is to authentically be who I am;
to express my truth with honesty and care;
to listen with openess and respect;
and to gratefully rejoice in life.

I've written more about this experience in my blog for anyone who's interested.

Char

[Freelancer]

I will begin meditating today, funny that you talk about it right now since I DL'ed a e-book on vipassana meditation and finished reading it yesterday.

I guess my conscious has ventured as far as possible...

[scottdblog]

I performed Steve's exercise and mine was-

To experience the joy of having no limits on life, consciously present with ultimate freedom, and inspire others to follow this path

The whole process is at
Scott Desgrosseilliers: Finding My Life Purpose

[cookie lee]

K what is this "Steves thing" thing? I am pretty new and I would like to check this out. I am 25 years old, thought I knew what I wanted and now am not so sure. So i think purhaps this "Steves thing" might help.

Thanks!

[scottdblog]

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/200...ut-20-minutes/

steve's thing

[Wormwood]

Originally Posted by Freelancer

I have no idea, and its frustrating beyond believe...

Another suggestion.

Most of us do something really well. It comes so easily to us that we think little of it but the people around us make comments like, “How can you do that so easily? It makes me sick! I couldn’t do that in a hundred years!”

First, spend a little time thinking not about what you think you do well but what other people have told you do well. What do those around you say?

Second, when you arrive at the answer(s) do not fall into the trap of being hypercritical of yourself in that aspect. Quite often when we do something well we cast a critical eye upon it seeing that it is not as perfect as we would like. Remember, if that is your talent, if that is what you are wired to do, you can further hone that skill or ability.

Beethoven was wired to be a composer. Undoubtedly some of his early efforts wound up in the trash. But he continued to hone that ability as a lapidary polishes a stone until it shines.

Good luck!

Mike

[Shamou]

If you want to write your life's manifesto, here is something that could help you in this endeavor...

see here...

just click on "manifesto_blank.doc" at the bottom of the page... and good luck to you...

.

[Heather Flanagan]

I guess you could say that I switch the wording around on my purpose statement quite a bit. And it does change from situation to situation, but that's merely a context issue. My purpose always involves helping people to become more conscious and more at choice in their lives. Also, I seem to give people permission to accept themselves and life. Funny, but it seems like when people stop expecting themselves and everyone around them to be perfect, a certain sort of grace is revealed.

I never discovered my purpose. It has always been here. In retrospect, I first noticed it when in highschool. Whenever someone was upset, people always seemed to tell them to not be sad or to smile. They would say, "It will be OK. Don't be so upset." I found myself saying, "Be upset, you're upset. Be as sad as you want to be. It's OK to be upset."

And it is OK to be upset. Hiding it form ourselves only makes it persist.

Heather Flanagan
Visualize Possibilities

[Freelancer]

Originally Posted by Wormwood

Another suggestion.

Most of us do something really well. It comes so easily to us that we think little of it but the people around us make comments like, “How can you do that so easily? It makes me sick! I couldn’t do that in a hundred years!”

First, spend a little time thinking not about what you think you do well but what other people have told you do well. What do those around you say?

Second, when you arrive at the answer(s) do not fall into the trap of being hypercritical of yourself in that aspect. Quite often when we do something well we cast a critical eye upon it seeing that it is not as perfect as we would like. Remember, if that is your talent, if that is what you are wired to do, you can further hone that skill or ability.

Beethoven was wired to be a composer. Undoubtedly some of his early efforts wound up in the trash. But he continued to hone that ability as a lapidary polishes a stone until it shines.

Good luck!

Mike

My parents and a few other people have told me that I'm very good at explaining things, they 'get' things they normally don't.

So far I figured out that my purpose has something to do with;
Personal growth
Teaching

And I am turning my life towards that now, this seems to make perfect sense. I can't say that I can capture my life purpose in one sentence now but atleast its a little bit less unsettling than before.