Do you feel out of touch with your purpose?
If you are reading this magazine – your life goals are probably in pursuit of purpose, meaning, and the benefit of others.
Unfortunately, the pursuit of purpose does not exist in a vacuum. We have busy lives that demand our attention and time. Our energy can be constantly redirected.
During this process, we can feel disillusioned. At times, we can feel out of touch with our purpose. But there is no need to worry.
Our purpose in life is not static. It can grow and change in the same way we do. It can be influenced by both internal and external factors. So, as we learn more about ourselves and the world around us – our purpose journey can require tweaking.
Research has generally found that our feelings of purpose in life boil down to three components:
- Our purpose-driven life goals
- Our understanding of meaning in our lives &
- A focus beyond ourselves.
So, if you feel out of touch with your purpose – checking in with these core components can help you evaluate and make required adjustments.
Check-in with your goals – when you feel out of touch with your purpose
The pursuit of your purpose is embodied by your life goal journey. How successfully you feel you are reaching your goals will influence how aligned you feel to your purpose.
Many things in life can stop us from reaching our life goals. Such as:
- Being distracted by other priorities
- Feeling unmotivated to take action
- Feeling overwhelmed by the process
These are all normal issues we need to overcome. But if you feel out of touch with your purpose – there may be a deeper reason behind these to consider.
If you are feeling out of touch – take the opportunity to check in with your goals and make sure they are still right for you.
Practical Steps:
Self-reflect on the following question:
Are my goals progressing as planned?
If no: Ask yourself:
What is getting in the way? Why is this getting in my way? What plan can I put in place to move forward with achieving my dreams?
If yes: Ask yourself:
Am I still feeling excited about achieving my goals? If not, why not?
Re-invigorate your goal journey
Once you reflect on the questions above – you should be in one of two places.
Ready to reinvigorate your goal journey.
In which case – check in with your goal plan and make any adjustments you need to move forward.
Ready to start again.
It is never a bad idea to go back to the drawing board with your goals. Start again with a fresh vision and intention.
Check-in with your meaning – when you feel out of touch with your purpose
What brings us a feeling of purpose can change. One reason for this is because what brings us meaning is fluid. As our life progresses and our experiences multiple – what brings us meaning will naturally evolve as a result.
Life events may redirect your sense of meaning. A tragic loss of a family member – may result in you finding meaning in supporting others in similar circumstances. Having children – may refocus your meaning and purpose towards your family.
If you feel out of touch with your purpose – take the time to self-reflect about what brings meaning to your life right now. Perhaps subtle (or massive) changes in your life have caused your purpose to evolve.
Practical steps:
- Ask yourself: Has anything changed in my life lately that may have changed my perception of meaning?
- Brainstorm things that bring you a sense of meaning to your life – and see if anything new comes up for you.
- If it does – consider what effect it has on your goals and make any required changes.
Related Article: Lessons from a 6-figure job quitter
Check your focus – when you feel out of touch with your purpose
Our pursuit of purpose involves a focus beyond ourselves. And our goals and activities are formed accordingly.
However, it is easy for internal factors to creep into the way we shape our goals. These can come from issues such as:
- Perfectionism
- Fear of failure
- Imposter syndrome
- Self-doubt
- Comparison with others
These factors can influence goals and behaviors, and change their focus. We can find ourselves modifying activities to protect ourselves from being uncomfortable.
Therefore, if we are feeling out of touch with our purpose. We should self-reflect on the true focus of our activities.
Practical steps:
- Take the time to self-reflect on who you want to help and what you need to do to help them.
- If anything uncomfortable comes up – unpack it through self-reflection – and work on it as part of your personal growth.
- If required, revisit your goals – and make any changes required.
As our lives evolve – our purpose and meaning can change too.
So, if you feel out of touch with your purpose – take the time to check-in and self-reflect. This will support you to live a purposeful life and reach the dream goals you deserve!
