Purpose, emerging

Freaking out about your lack of purpose and direction?

As an evidence-based life and career coach, people often tell me that they’re scared that they don’t know what to do with their life, that they’re worried that they lack any ideas for a fulfilling career, that they have no driving purpose.

It’s interesting then, to read about people who have found themselves a meaningful professional direction, who do feel satisfied. They often report a sense of having always been on their way, of having allowed life to unfold, of having a deep sense of faith that their experiences, skills and chance have brought them to where they are. And that just as these experiences have happened in the past, so too, they will continue to lead them forwards, through a deeply satisfying career.

You might read that and think: PHWAH?! Yehbut that’s them and this is me and that’s never going to happen in my world.

Maybe.

But you know what? Perhaps it could.

If you’re struggling;ing to decide on a meaningful career direction, I would put money on the fact that your brain is situating you at the beginning of your journey. [I am here and I need to work out where I’m going to go.]

I wonder what might happen if you chose to shift that?

Here’s how:

• Make a list of 20 experiences [chance meetings, conversations, people, books, events!] that have led you to this point right now. [If you can, extend that to 50!]
• Put them all down on a piece of paper – perhaps in mind-map form
• Start linking them together, by asking yourself questions like:
• How did these connect or lead to each other? What did I do, in order to have these experiences? How did the experiences start? And how did they unfold, over time? What emerged from each of these experiences? How did my networks expand, as I had each of these experiences?  How did my ideas on my future direction grow, as I had each of these experiences?

Through this activity, you will likely start to see yourself as already being in the middle of something purposeful. You might start to see patterns, interests, opportunities. You might build a trust that the act of consciously living will allow your life to unfold in a meaningful direction.

See how you go, I would love to hear what happens for you.

Tags: career-coaching, life-coaching, Melbourne