How to Uncover and Live Your Purpose So You Can Make the Impact You Were Born to Make

When starting a business, uncovering your personal purpose may be one of the last things on your to-do list. However, it is important to make sure you know what your purpose is before you start or scale your business. If your business is not in alignment with your purpose, it will be difficult to move forward when you face obstacles. And obstacles - in business and in life - are inevitable.

When the alignment is off on your car, it can cause uneven wear on your tires and damage to your car. In the same way, when your purpose and your business are not in alignment, you can veer off course or burn out. That’s why it is so essential to uncover your purpose and live in alignment with that purpose (in your business and at home).

What is a Purpose?

Purpose is defined as “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.” Your personal purpose is the thing you were created to do. For example, cups were created to drink from. People may use cups for a variety of things, but their intended purpose is to hold beverages. In the same way, you may be able to do many things, but your purpose is the one thing you were created to do.

Purpose and calling are different. A calling may be a temporary assignment within your purpose, while your purpose is the thing that you were made to do with your life.

Uncover Your Purpose

To uncover your purpose, you will need to take some time to reflect on your life. Ask the following questions to help you uncover your purpose:

• Who am I? Take time to reflect on who you are. What are your gifts and values? These things make up your identity.
• Where am I from? As a Christian, my perspective is rooted in my faith. God created us, but what did He create us for? To understand your personal purpose, it is important that you understand what God’s purpose was in creating you. Identify where you are from and what your background is. For example, many addiction counselors are former addicts or have loved ones who were addicts. This part of their background was formational in determining their purpose. In the same way, your family background and past life experiences may play a major role in forming your purpose. I find that your story - and particularly your past ‘mess’ is usually an instrumental piece of your future ‘message’.  Every part of your journey is useful and can be used for good according to His purpose.  Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
• Why am I here? Ask yourself why you were born and what you feel strongly about. What do you feel like you are supposed to do for your generation?
• What can I do? Uncover your potential. 95% of people are living below their potential. 95! Be a part of the 5%. Use tests and assessment tools to discover your strengths and personality. When you understand yourself, you can know what your potential is and what skills you need to develop in order to reach that potential.
• Where am I going? Everything you’re going to become is already inside you, like a tree is inside a seed as it grows. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God has created you and prepared you for what you will do.  You have such great potential inside of you.  You were born with it.  Take time to see the trajectory He has put you on. And discover your gift.

Understanding Your Gift

Your gift is that thing that allows you to fulfill your purpose. When you find your gift, you’ll be closer to understanding what your purpose is. To find your gift, ask yourself not only what you're naturally good at but also what you’re passionate about. God’s will for your life may be that thing you’ve been desiring your entire life. 

Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” When you delight in Him, God’s will and your purpose will be in alignment and made clear to you. To understand your gift and uncover your purpose, you need God. Without God, your gifts are for nothing. Cut off from the source of your gifts (God), you will not get very far. As you take inventory of your passion, gift, and purpose, prayerfully consider God’s creative work in your life. And abide in Him, so you can develop and bear the fruits of your gift.

Your True Self & What You Really Want

Take time to get to know yourself. Your personality, passion, and strengths all make up the person you are today. When you know who you are, you’ll better understand what your gift is and what it is that you really want.

Use tests to discover your strengths, weaknesses, and personality. Assessments like StrengthsFinder, DISC, Myers-Briggs, and the Enneagram can shine a light on aspects of your personality. As you learn about yourself, you’ll discover your potential and purpose.

Define Your Purpose

When you better understand your gift, strengths, personality, and passion, you’ll be able to define your purpose. Here are some tips to help you define your purpose:

• Put it on paper. When you take the time to write and display your purpose, you cement it into your mind. Create a vision board or write your purpose on a piece of paper and hang it where you’ll see it regularly.  (Tip: your vision board should not be all about you).
• Submit to the right environment. Everything around you impacts your life, so make sure that your environment is one that helps you define and pursue your purpose. The people you spend time with, the books you read, the places you go and the church you attend all have the potential to feed your purpose or starve it. Even your physical environment can impact your mental state. (Studies show a messy environment can have a negative mental impact.) As you work to define your purpose, make sure that your environment is one that allows you to find and live out your purpose.
• Nourish your mind. A huge part of defining your purpose is discovering who you are and developing your gift. Consume the right materials to help you develop your gift and define your vision. As a Christian, it is important that you nourish your mind with Scripture. The time you spend in God’s Word will help you root your purpose in God’s purpose for your life.
• Avoid things that kill your gift. There are people and habits that can prevent you from using your gift and discovering your purpose. Negative and jealous individuals can drag you down. When appropriate, cut those relationships or limit those interactions. Bad habits can keep you from your potential. Take the time to cultivate the positive relationships and habits you need to uncover your purpose.
• Allow your purpose to change and grow. Your purpose is the one thing you were created to do with your life. While your purpose won’t change, how you understand and define it will change and grow. As you use your gift, you’ll gain more understanding about what your purpose is and what that looks like during each season of your life.
• Define success. How will you know when you’ve “made it?” Take the time to define what success will look like. When you have a vision of success, you can reverse-engineer the process to create a roadmap for yourself.

Take Confident Action: Living Your Purpose, No Matter What

First and foremost, you need God in order to fulfill your purpose. You cannot bring forth your gift without Him, since He’s the one who created you and gave you your gift. Ground your purpose and your work in Him.

Here are a few tips for living your purpose, even when things are difficult:

• Pray over your gift every day. Ask God for wisdom in using your gift and fulfilling your purpose. Take time to pray that you will know your purpose and your role in God’s kingdom. When you do this daily, you remain aligned with God’s purpose for your life.
• Persist under pressure. Even when things are difficult, keep going. There will always be discouragement, resistance, and failure. Keep pressing on anyway.
• Seek to serve. One mistake a lot of people make is only focusing on monetizing and trying to make money from their gift and purpose right away. Give away your gift for free. Volunteer in places that align with your purpose. Building a business that matches your purpose takes time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t live your purpose through service and volunteer work. Use your gifts to serve however - and wherever - you can.
• Invest in the next generation. Your gift should produce more seeds through mentoring. Your gift(s) are not meant to serve you and you alone. Take time to invest in and produce other people who will also do great things. That is what true leadership is about. As a mom, a huge part of our role is nurturing our children. We are called to lead in our homes.  As you live out your purpose, teach your children how to uncover and activate their purposes as well. And don’t just teach it, model it. That is the powerful impact and legacy we can have as moms.

True success happens when you find and fulfill your purpose. When you uncover your purpose and learn how to achieve goals that are in alignment with that purpose, you create a foundation for a meaningful and successful life. Download my free ‘Maximize Your Day’ planner. In it, I share my morning routine that helps set me up for a productive day that is in alignment with my purpose and goals.