Two Painted Arrows On A Road Pointing Towards A Grassy Mountain

I recently polled some readers and friends and asked, “If you could speak with any kind of expert about anything in the world, what would you want to know?” I got some great questions about money, health, career, family and more. But the most often repeated response by far was, “How can I know my life’s purpose?”

Can you relate?  I’ll bet each of us would admit that at some point, that question was at the top of our list too. I remember desperately longing to know my purpose and wondering if I was somehow missing it. For years, I couldn’t relax in my work (and otherwise) for fear that I was off course and somehow ruining my future. I sensed that same frustration and confusion in many of the responses I received.

“What is my life’s purpose?” is one of the least helpful questions we’re all asking ourselves. Because here’s the thing – it’s unanswerable. We’d need to be able to see into the future to answer confidently. It would require us to not just understand our own story, but also everyone else’s around us, before us and behind us to know our true significance. No wonder we’re confused. We’re obsessing over a question we don’t have the capacity to answer.

There’s a better question for us, one that will help focus our efforts today and lead us where we belong tomorrow.

What is my purpose now?  

Don’t you like the sound of that better? Immediately when I ask it, a feeling of overwhelm I didn’t even know was there washes away and is replaced with peace I didn’t know I needed.

Will I have a great moment in history? Maybe. I don’t know. Will I do or say something someday that will change the world? I hope so. Am I passionately pursuing the things I know to do? Every day. Am I listening to the stirring inside me that’s calling me forward? Absolutely. But do I know what my purpose for living is? I have to say no. How could I?

What I do know is that I have to write this article today to release it in the morning as planned. And I’m meeting someone who needs a washer and dryer at 5:30 to give them a set we no longer use. I have a friend that’s in the hospital that I want to go see. I need to forgive someone who didn’t mean to hurt me, but did. My wife and kids are out of town and would enjoy a phone call or a silly video to tell them I love them. I need to rehearse a speech I’ll give next week and prepare for an interview on Wednesday.

This is the real stuff that makes a life. This is my purpose…now.

Will I feel like I’ve “arrived” by having accomplished any of these things? Will trumpets sound; will I receive an award? No. But by completing my purpose for today, I’m setting up myself for tomorrow. And by completing my purpose tomorrow, I’ll set up myself for the next day.

It may seem obvious, but look around. How many people in your life are waiting for some big revelation before they’ll start? As we do the things we know to do (especially the hard ones), we stumble into things we could never plan and in the process, we change the world in a thousand ways…that only we can.

You have an ultimate purpose, and in the scheme of all time, I’ll bet it’s glorious. Your next purpose will get you there. How do you know what your next purpose is? I can’t say for sure, but consider your fears and the lies swirling in your head. Consider the needs of those who are directly in your life. What work is in between you and finishing something you’d contribute and prosper through? Seems like a worthy place to start to me.

We all want the quick and clear answer. I admit it – I want it too. But there’s a good reason it’s called our LIFE’s purpose. It takes a lifetime to uncover it. We can and absolutely should identify the talents and passions that set us apart. And we can surely know how we might best help the world around us. But we couldn’t begin to understand the fullness of our purpose. We’d never grasp the depth of the answer we’re asking for.

So maybe it’s time to give up trying to solve the unsolvable,

To know what’s unknowable,

To see what’s unseeable.

Maybe it’s time to ditch the question, “What is my purpose?”

And replace it with, “What is my purpose now?

This Post Has 16 Comments

  1. Rich Langton

    This is a great perspective Chance!

    The thought that we all need to know our life purpose is prevalent, and so difficult. If only we all sought to live our purpose right now, there’d be so many people in my world alone that would be living more at peace, with greater clarity and happiness.

    This is a definite life changer – I’m going to need to share it!

    Thanks!!

    1. Chance

      Thanks, Rich. I TOTALLY AGREE! When I shifted my mindset to my purpose now, the clarity I’d been seeking for so long was instantly there…and that brought about peace and happiness…which in turn motivates and equips me to do and become even more. I’m glad it spoke to you – and THANKS for adding your perspective here. Great insight!

  2. Eileen

    This is so what’s on my hear today. Wrote this on my blog this morning “My job is to show up and live the life I’ve been given today.”I want to stop with all the questions and simply DO that. Thanks for tweeting this.

    1. Chance

      Just read your post and LOVED it! Thanks for sharing this snippet. Your perspective is refreshing and needed. Come back and share your wisdom! :)

  3. skipprichard1

    The slight variation in the question produces an answer that illuminates not the whole path, but the step ahead. And that single step is what we are responsible for today.

    Well said my friend!

  4. Veronica

    YES! Our purpose changes with the seasons in our lives. We can miss our purpose now pondering what the big purpose is. For some of us all the little purposes can be the big one. My purpose every morning on my way to work is to try and be a blessing to someone that day. There are many more but I want to be Gods hands and feet daily if I can.

  5. Donna Lohr

    If I make it through my to do list for the day and smile more often than not, then chances are I have made a difference…if to no one other than myself…on next thing at a time and in the end a life is lived.

  6. Cindy

    Chance – I can hear your voice as I read your words – I believe you really want me to GET IT! I do have a deep sense of my purpose for today but sometimes it is just hard work to get through each day! Thanks for being our champion!

  7. de

    Chance….you are SO good at what you are doing! And I am so thankful that you are, and that you share your heart and your “over the top” wisdom for such a young man!! Thank you!!! This is so true and relevant! :-)

  8. Michael

    Chance –

    The “Life Purpose” question has been taunting me for YEARS. It has consumed me at times. Almost like I’m suffocating…trying to figure it all out.

    Your post makes a lot of sense. As long as I’m using my skills, gifts, and talents, (in a positive, move-forward way) I guess that’s pretty much all I can do at any given moment.

    I just want to do SOMETHING that impacts the world in a positive way. Maybe I’m looking for confirmation in all the wrong places. I don’t know. It’s something I have been struggling with for a long time.

    Perhaps I need to just step back and get some perspective.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate you!

    –Michael

  9. Kevin Gilbert

    Consider the head of the nail hit. And hard. That is a much better question and one that helps us focus our attention on the present. Dreaming and planning is very important, but not so much that we miss the opportunities before us right now. Today.

    Excellent post, Chance. Thanks.

  10. Kim

    TODAY I am
    breathing
    praying
    working
    serving
    loving
    playing
    thinking
    dreaming
    listening
    singing

    And I might impact someone anyway.

    Tomorrow, who knows?

    Thanks, Chance! Always love your work!!

  11. Lori

    I have wasted so much time worrying about this very thing. Thank you for returning a bit of my sanity today and adding a couple of good productive years to my life!

  12. Nicole NA

    Another great boost to make it through the day. All I know is that right now i have a report to get out by the end of the week, a manuscript to rewrite and edit, and a conference call tonight. Thanks for the reminder to focus on “now” the purpose of today. When that’s over, I can look to tomorrow.

  13. Denise Palma

    Oh, this was VERY important for me. Thank you!

    1. Chance

      I’m so glad, Denise! Thanks for reading!

Comments are closed.