Let’s say you’ve decided to change things and redefine your path. You’ve read self-help books and consulted with friends on your new purpose in life. Maybe you’ve even started dedicating yourself to this purpose daily – whether it’s trying to apply to your dream job, acquire additional professional skills, create a new hobby, change lifestyle, or execute your business idea.
But how can you ensure you’ve hit the nail on the head and found your purpose? How does it feel to know your purpose?
Knowing your purpose makes you feel in control and proud of yourself. But, at the same time, it might also bring new fears and self-doubt due to putting your true self in the forefront.
This is how I felt when I found my purpose in my mid-30s. Of course, each one experiences finding purpose differently. Yet, in this article, you’ll get an abundant, genuine reflection on what it is like to know your purpose.
Before we dive in, let’s first see what it means to find or know your purpose.
Disclaimer : The information provided in this site is for educational purposes only, and it is not a substitue for professional advice. The article may contain affiliate links. See the full disclaimer for more details.
What does finding your purpose mean?
Finding a purpose in life is often a long quest. It can be a difficult and sometimes elusive pursuit, but it is worth the effort. At least, this is how it was for me. I was first avoiding the quest for purpose during my 20s. I worked in average back-office jobs with no sense of purpose. It only hit me in my mid-30s, when I fell short of my goals at the time (getting a scholarship to a Ph.D. degree in the U.K.) and was forced to find what I should do with my life instead.
After many self-exploration, consulting with my therapist, and trying different things, I reinvented myself as a freelance writer and content creator. I blog for small businesses, and on my blog. This satisfied my tendency to produce long-form content in a less competitive lifestyle than the academic path I considered before.
There are many benefits to finding your purpose, including greater satisfaction and fulfillment, a sense of direction and purpose, and improved mental and physical health. For example, my mental health gradually enhanced when I discovered my purpose and started living it daily. In hindsight, the mind-body symptoms I got in my 30s were due to a lack of purpose and fear of exploring it.
How does it feel to know your purpose?
Knowing your purpose makes you feel satisfied with what you do every day. Then, whether it’s more joy or meaning that enters your life, you wake up in the morning with the energy to work for something.
The way I experienced it, there are two reasons for feeling that way: 1. getting control over your life, and 2. being proud of yourself. On the downside, I occasionally faced new fears and self-doubt when I started to live my purpose. However, these issues can be solved, and you shouldn’t let them hold you back.
I felt more in control when I discovered my purpose
Getting a sense of purpose is where everything ticks in and feels more natural. This is where I can shine and make a difference. This is where my added value is discovered in the world. You get clarity over what you do and, as a result, control of your life.
Every little issue you might face will be placed proportionately as you know your mission now. So, for example, the problems that used to be significant when I lacked a sense of purpose now became manageable.
Everyone has their reasons for feeling in control when they know their purpose. I knew that no matter what happened, I had a specific goal I was working towards. I’m not just aimlessly going through the motions day by day; I have a clear destination I want to reach.
Even if I veer off course at times, as long as I keep my eye on my long-term destination, I eventually get back on track. Additionally, knowing my purpose gives me a sense of ownership over my life. I’m not a victim of circumstance or at the mercy of fate; instead, I’m the ship’s captain, steering it toward the horizon.
Knowing my purpose gives me direction, ownership, and confidence. I know what I stand for and why I do what I do. That helps me feel in control in this life and become more vital to overcoming challenges.
Like any issue in life – when we get control over the problem, we are halfway to solving it. So, getting the proper perspective on life, such as knowing my purpose, helped me navigate my life’s struggles.
I’ve become proud of myself
Every self-discovery layer added to my journey, and I became more proud of myself. It isn’t easy to describe with words how self-awareness feels like. Yet, I can tell that it feels good.
All the years in my 20s, I had no central branch to lean on. Now I do. It took me time to get there, but fortunately, I have a better vision of my life these days. I now have this branch which grew after discovering the content creation path. I’m still steering my unique way on this path, but I already got the fundamentals. That means the niche, the content categories in my blog, and the work energy – I’ve noticed I’m best at writing long-form content and educating on YouTube. However, there is still work to be done on confidence in front of the camera and production quality.
Finding my path and the balanced creator lifestyle made me more connected to myself. I started to love myself more for carrying out my ideas which couldn’t be fulfilled in a traditional career path.
Knowing my added value feel like I’m doing something meaningful and making a difference in the world. However, knowing your purpose doesn’t have to lead to a greater sense of happiness and contentment immediately. I can’t say I’m happiest than ever. I still handle various issues in my personal life and need to build my online presence. But I carry my custom plan for happiness. I know I’ll become happier the more my goal becomes a reality.
In plain words, I know what I want to accomplish in life and have a plan for how to achieve it. I’m proud of who I am today and of making the rough journey to self-awareness.
Fears from pursuing my purpose
Throughout the course of my life, I was afraid of my purpose. I faced the big question of what to do and who I genuinely am. These existential questions threatened the heck out of me, so I repressed them. As a result of that fear, I was holding my career decision by studying for two disciplinary degrees and filling meaningless back office roles.
When I finally assembled the puzzle of my life in my mid-30s and realized my purpose, I alleviated that fear. As noted previously, I got clearance and control over my life. However, overcoming that dread was not enough.
With time, I started to fear living my purpose and put my genuine content in front of many strangers around the globe. Even today, exposing my struggles like the journey with purpose is intimidating. As a sensitive guy, it is a big issue I try to balance – inspiring with my personal story and, at the same time, staying indifferent to the performance of my content and the feedback I get.
Pursuing your life purpose can be an exciting and fulfilling journey but can also bring up fears and challenges. My number one fear has become the fear of failure, and I’m sure it’s not only me. Every solopreneur or life coach, or community leader has fears of failing. That fear of making fun of ourselves or not getting the financial results we wanted from our endeavor. It’s natural to worry about not succeeding or not living up to your expectations.
But the kicker is actually my second fear.
My number two fear is the fear of the unknown. Pursuing my purpose means stepping outside of my comfort zone and taking risks, especially as a solo creator – I need to take care not only of my business figures but also of legal contracts, disclaimers, and so on.
That fear is equally common among content creators in their early phases, yet unfortunately, it doesn’t get enough attention in the side hustlling industry.
I’m also intimidated by the opinions and judgments of the readers and viewers on my channel. My path and content are unconventional and sometimes go against societal norms. Moreover, some of my ideas are controversial.
However, it’s important to remember that fear is a normal part of the process and doesn’t have to hold you back. Recognizing and acknowledging my fears was the first step to overcoming them. I have support from my family and get advice from my therapist and professional tips from YouTube tutorials I watch. The best thing I did was move on while adjusting my content and niche by the feedback I received.
Breaking down my goals into smaller, manageable steps and reminding myself why pursuing my purpose is important to me – gives me the strength to carry on. By facing my fears and pushing through them, I gradually became more confident overall and motivated to achieve my goals.
Self-doubt and imposter syndrome
Finally, there is self-doubt and imposter syndrome 1. These are common challenges people face while pursuing their life purpose, and so do I.
Whenever I uploaded a video on YouTube, even a chess tutorial at the beginning of my journey, I was shaky to press that publish button. I was afraid I was not a chess expert and might mislead innocent viewers to follow my tips. I’m not a chess grandmaster, just a 2000 ELO chess avid with years of experience.
While writing these words here, I still get self-doubt. I often ask myself – who am I to tell you how it feels to find purpose? I’m not a known successful creator, life coach, or marketing guru. I’m just another guy who struggled with finding meaning and shared his insights..
Talking about finding purpose as a topic often triggers my imposter syndrome. I logically know I have value to give on this topic, but at the same time, I don’t feel like an expert just yet. Coming up with a blog on such a big topic without the expected success requires courage which I have. I stand for my niche of sharing my journey to help others find their balance in life. Yet still, I pay for episodic moments of self-doubt.
It’s natural to question your abilities and wonder if you can achieve your goals. Imposter syndrome can also make you feel like a fraud, even when you have the skills and experience to succeed. However, it’s essential to understand that these feelings are often not objectively true. This is why consulting with someone you trust must reflect you from the outside. You’ll be surprised how you might exaggerate your feeling of being a fraud.
Positive affirmation can also help you overcome this. It’s empowering to repeat to your mind that you do your best and soon become the expert who might seem fake now to you. Reassuring that can help you move on and achieve your life purpose goals.
Another way to overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome is to focus on your strengths and accomplishments and remind yourself of your progress. I tried that, and it chilled me out. Looking at my analytics and seeing more views on my blog pages and channel raise my confidence as a beginner creator. That helped me tremendously to stick with my goals.
Final Words
In this article, I wanted to share how I felt about finding my purpose as authentic as possible. I’ve read many online articles that provide valuable information on the topic but lack real-life experiences. So, I decided to provide you with such reflections from my journey. I hope it gives you a sense of what it feels like to find your purpose.
Of course, my feelings are mine and do not represent everyone. You might feel differently. But from what I researched the topic and asked my friends who struggled with purpose, these were common themes:
You are becoming a more confident version of yourself as you get control over your life. You are proud of being someone with unique value to offer the world. But, on the downside, living your purpose might involve fears of putting yourself on the front stage and potentially failing. If you feel that way, don’t let it doom your growth toward your purpose. Most of us want to live our purpose, but not everyone works to find it. So, be proud of yourself for trying to discover your true self.. I hope this article inspires you to keep knowing yourself and find your right lane!
Frequently Asked Questions
You feel that things are ticked in place – you discover what you are good at and passionate about and see how your story and values are tied together into a cohesive path. It doesn’t have to be one specific “aha” moment but a series of self-clearances. Another sign to know if you are on the right track is positive feedback from your audience, workmates, managers, family, or friends.
Everything stays the same, but you get a different perspective on life. Your problems and challenges seem more manageable as you get the bigger picture of your life. Finding purpose can also improve productivity and provide a sense of accomplishment. Finally, studies have shown that people with a sense of purpose are likelier to live wholesome, healthier lives 2.
Finding your purpose requires experiencing new projects at work and activities out of work and reflecting on them. Journaling and meditation are the best practices for that. In addition, consulting with a life coach or therapist helps to see your advantages, passions, and opportunities more objectively. Learn more about how to find your purpose step by step.
Shachar is a blogger and sensitive person who worked in a recruitment company and holds a master’s degree in sociology. After years of struggles to find purpose, he made this blog to help others find their purpose more efficiently. He likes to play chess, walk in nature, and take photos in his free time.
- Imposter Syndrome: Why You May Feel Like a Fraud. Arlin Cuncic, verywellmind.com[↩]
- John Templeton Foundation (2018). The Psychology of Purpose: Claremont Graduate University. https://www.templeton.org/discoveries/the-psychology-of-purpose[↩]