{"id":10228,"date":"2022-10-19T18:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-19T10:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/?p=10228"},"modified":"2025-09-29T11:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T10:48:15","slug":"finding-your-purpose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/blog\/finding-your-purpose\/","title":{"rendered":"How to find your purpose in 5 ways, according to Mindvalley experts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhat is my purpose in life?<\/em>\u201d is the existential question that many, if not all, of us ask ourselves at one point or another. It\u2019s the central theme of our soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at your favorite Disney characters\u2014Merida\u2019s struggle to fit in, Mulan\u2019s fight against cultural norms, and even Maui\u2019s quest for self-discovery. They all realized what life meant to them and their \u201cwhy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when it comes to your own meaning in life, you need to learn how to find your purpose in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thing is, each of us was born for greatness. While the idea of a soulful life can be scary, it\u2019s as Vishen, founder of Mindvalley, says, \u201cYour true greatness comes when you focus not on building a career but on finding your quest.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the purpose of life?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and many other philosophers have all taken a stab at pinpointing the meaning of life<\/a>. Whether it be the pursuit of happiness and virtue, the common conclusion boils down to what makes life significant to and for each individual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it\u2019s not about the<\/em> purpose of life; rather, it\u2019s about <\/strong>your<\/em><\/strong> purpose in life<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Etymologically, the meaning of \u201cpurpose\u201d is equivalent to the Latin term propositium<\/em>, \u201ca thing proposed or intended.\u201d And so when it relates to your dharma (a.k.a your existence in this world), it\u2019s about your intention to shake up the mediocrity and create the life you love<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Oftentimes, people speak of the words \u201cI should do this\u201d or \u201cI shouldn\u2019t do that.\u201d We don\u2019t want to \u201cshould\u201d on ourselves. There\u2019s a \u201cmeant to be\u201d within us.<\/p>\n\u2014 Reverend Michael Beckwith, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s Life Visioning Mastery<\/em> program<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, we\u2019re taught to believe we have only one thing<\/em> that we\u2019re meant to do. For example, when we\u2019re younger, we\u2019re asked what we want to be and are guided on that path until we\u2019ve reached it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, your purpose is as one-of-a-kind as your fingerprint. And you have more than one of those. So you\u2019re not<\/em> limited to only one thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a matter of fact, a 2021 Pew Research Center survey<\/a> examined what people value and what gives them satisfaction. They found that family, career, and material well-being<\/strong> (food, clothing, housing, etc.) are among the most important factors that make a meaningful life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, an existence without intention can leave you feeling lost. And that can lead you down a path as dangerous as Maui stealing Te Fiti\u2019s heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does it feel like to lack purpose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A life without purpose is one with no substantial meaning. It\u2019s a life of \u201cless\u201d \u2014 passionless, motivationless, feckless, emotionless\u2026and with nothing to look forward to, it can even be mindless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may not be our intention to wander around aimlessly. But when we live under the direction of others (like our Disney heroes before they came into their own), we tend to live out the dreams others have for us instead of the ones we have for ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what does it feel like to be stuck in life? Here are a few signs to look out for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n