What is a Life Purpose?

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” Robert Byrne

When you hear the term “life purpose,” you probably envision people who are following a higher calling, like priests, nuns, missionaries, doctors and scientists. In other words, people who are doing important work in the world.

People like this are certainly living a purpose, but you may be surprised to learn that a life purpose doesn’t have to be so magnanimous either. In fact, throughout the pages of this e-book, I’m going to demonstrate that purposeful living can take virtually limitless forms – most of which you’ve probably never considered before.

The dictionary defines purpose as:
1) an object or result aimed at : INTENTION
2) RESOLUTION, DETERMINATION

What does this tell us? A “purpose” can be as simple as an intention or a resolution. So, a “life purpose” is really nothing more than a commitment or resolve to live in a certain way and achieve specific objectives. If that sounds a bit confusing, don’t worry. We’re going to clear it up in a hurry.

For now, just know that you DON’T have to have a deep inner “calling” in order to have a life purpose. You don’t have to give away your worldly possessions and become a missionary in order to make a positive difference in the world.

In fact, you may be surprised to discover that realizing and living your life purpose will be a comfortable and enjoyable process. Bit by bit, you’ll create life circumstances that are totally suited to who you are, your likes and dislikes, natural talents, and much more.

It’s the kind of inner journey that changes everything – from emptiness to satisfaction, from boredom to passion, from aimlessness to unbridled joy and beyond!

Do you have trouble believing that’s possible for you? Do you see your current circumstances as brick walls that you can’t break through? Do you worry that you’re stuck forever exactly where you are?


If so, I ask you to set aside any feelings of doubt and skepticism for now. Be willing to believe that your life DOES have meaning, and be open to the insights that are about to follow.
Where Does a Life Purpose Come From?

One of the reasons people often doubt that they have a life purpose is because they’ve been led to believe that a life purpose is akin to those “spiritual callings” mentioned earlier. If they don’t feel an inner calling, they decide that there probably isn’t a specific purpose for their life – or worse, that their life has no meaning at all.

If you ask enough people, you’ll probably find that there are two basic schools of thought regarding life purpose:
1) Those who believe that a life purpose is something we are born with, that it is planted into our souls before we are born and we MUST achieve it. It’s our destiny, so to speak, and we have no choice in the matter.
2) Those who believe that fate and destiny don’t exist and we have the power (or “free will”) to choose our life purpose and do anything we want with our lives.

Which group do you belong to? Fate and destiny, or free will? There are no right or wrong answers to this question; only what you feel in your heart is the right answer for you.
If you’re still not sure, I’d like to propose a workable compromise for you. What if a life purpose is something you are born with, but you also have full control over how and when you achieve it? What if, with a little introspection and planning, you could move naturally and easily toward your life purpose without feeling like you “have” to do specific things?

Personally, I do believe that each of us has a pre-destined life purpose – BUT it is something that comes very naturally to us. It’s not something that’s difficult, unpleasant or burdensome. A life purpose, in my opinion, is realized by getting to know your authentic self, exploring your natural talents and interests, and choosing the best possible medium to share them with the world.


We’ll be covering those concepts further shortly, but first, take a moment to decide how you feel about your own life. Do you believe you have a purpose, or that you can choose one?

How Do You Know If You Have a Life Purpose?

When it comes to life purpose, people usually find themselves in one of three places:
1) They don’t worry about whether they have an official purpose or not; they simply live their lives doing the things they feel drawn to.
2) They know exactly what their purpose is, and they joyfully work at it each day.
3) They believe they have a purpose but have no idea what it may be or how to find out.

Which group do you fall into? Members of the first group probably would not be reading this book, and members of the second group would probably be too busy living their purpose to read about it.
The majority of people who read this book probably fall into group #3.

 If you’re not sure if you do, consider the questions below:
 Have you ever felt like you were supposed to be doing more with your life?
 Have you ever yearned to use your natural talents to contribute to the world?
 Have you ever felt like your current or previous jobs didn’t use your talents fully?
 Do you ever feel like you are wasting time on things that aren’t important to you?
 Do you desire to serve others in a bigger way but don’t know how?
 Has your daily routine become predictable and boring?
 Do you ever wonder if “this is it”?
 Do you yearn for greater meaning in your work and other activities?

If you answered yes to most of those questions, you’re probably ready to discover greater meaning and purpose in your own life – whether you see it as awakening a pre-destined purpose or choosing one you want.

by White Dove Books 2008