-Deva Narayan

Finding your life’s purpose isn’t something that you need to do. It’s simply a matter of remembering—remembering who you are beneath the layers of conditioning; remembering what lights you up and brings the biggest smile to your face; and remembering what types of activities, people, and places make you feel most at home. To help in that process I’d like to share my own experience with you as well as some tips and thoughts on how this has played out for me so far along my own path.

What did you love doing as a child?

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is, “What did I love doing as a child?” Childhood passions are usually free from external expectations and the need to impress others. Whether it was building with blocks, drawing, climbing trees, or role-playing with dolls or toy trucks, these activities often hold clues to what you’re naturally good at and passionate about. By reconnecting with what lit you up as a child – even if it doesn’t seem directly related to your life today – you may be better able to connect the dots to your big Why. If nothing else, your childhood excitement can reignite long-lost joy.

This question pretty much forces you to eliminate all practical thinking and think about what you would love to do, regardless of money. Think about what your life would look like if you never had to worry about making a living. What is it that you want to spend your days doing? This may be hard for some because with all the bills we have in our lives coupled with a society that tells us what we should do or be doing, this can become more difficult than one would imaged. I am not saying this is going to come easily for everyone but, in most cases, the answer will lead you right back to where I stated before -what brings joy in your life and who are the people who help bring out that joy.

What Angers You?

What injustice and problem in the world makes you most angry? Anger, if channeled appropriately, can be an amazing clue to what your passions are, and what kind of work you should be in. Whether it’s seeing people treated unequally, destruction of the environment or animals being mistreated; those things that make you really mad might just show you a way to how you can help.

Often the world can see your strengths before you can. What do people ask you to help them with again and again? Whether it’s advice, a kind of work, or lending an ear, these requests reveal what other people think your natural gifts are. Think about how you can use those talents in a way that is meaningful and comes easy to you—not everyone has to save the starving children on the other side of the globe.

What would you do if you weren’t afraid to fail?

Too often, we let fear of failure keep us from pursuing our dreams. But this question prompts us to consider what we’d do if we knew we couldn’t fail. What kinds of risks would we take? What dreams would we go after? When fear of failure doesn’t stand in our way, it becomes clear what it is we actually want to pursue — even if it seems daunting or unlikely. And that in turn can lead us toward a sense of purpose powerful enough to eclipse any self-doubt or reservations about going down the path less traveled.

Discovering your life’s purpose doesn’t always require a dramatic epiphany or life-changing event. Sometimes, it’s about asking yourself the right questions—questions that challenge your assumptions and encourage deeper introspection. By exploring these unconventional questions, you can uncover the passions, strengths, and values that guide you toward a life of purpose and fulfillment. The answers may not come immediately, but they can serve as a compass, pointing you in the direction of a life that feels truly meaningful.