Do you feel a sense of direction?
For many years, professionals in psychology have studied how long-term, important objectives develop. In fact, a feeling of purpose seems to have developed in humans so that we might do great things together, which may explain why it is linked to improved physical and mental health. Purpose in terms of evolution is adaptive. It encourages both individual and species’ survival.
Many people seem to assume that you have a sense of purpose because of your special abilities and capacity to stand out from the crowd, but that is only partially accurate. A crisis of purpose frequently indicates isolation because it also arises from our connection to others. You’ll undoubtedly run upon others yearning for a community as you make your way through life.
Discover and create a community
Our sense of direction can frequently be found in those around us. The issue is that this overarching goal entailed influencing others to become more like them. Look at the individuals around you if you’re having problems recalling your goal. What do you share with them, exactly?
What do they seek to represent? What effect do you anticipate they will have on the world? Is that effect constructive? Can you help them make that effect with them? What are they lacking? You could give it to them. If the answers to those questions don’t motivate you, you may need to look for a new community; this may also lead to the discovery of a new purpose.
Pay attention to what others find admirable about you
The things that others compliment you for might often serve as motivation. Appreciation strengthens connections, and as many of these examples imply, relationships are frequently the source of our purpose. Although there is no research specifically examining how being appreciated may drive a sense of purpose, we do know that appreciation strengthens relationships.
Develop awe, gratitude, and altruism
Awe, gratitude, and altruism are three emotions and behaviors that help us feel good and can also help us feel like we have a purpose in life. A sense of purpose might be emotionally based on the connection we have with something greater than ourselves when we experience awe. You must also have the desire to change the world; it is not enough to simply feel like a small piece of something larger. That’s where appreciation and giving are useful.
Utilize your pain to help others heal
Of course, discovering our purpose requires more than just thought; it also requires emotion. It can therefore emerge from both our own and others’ pain. We can sometimes find meaning in another person’s suffering. Appear to derive meaning from their pain, while others are crushed by it? Perhaps our own emotions and behaviors have something to do with the solution.
Read
Reading encourages relationships with people we’ll never meet across time and space, and reading is an activity that has been linked to a sense of meaning and purpose by research. If they can perceive significance in the lives of others, teenagers are more likely to recognize it in their own lives.
In this way, having a goal is an act of creativity. So, if you’re going through a crisis of purpose, go to a bookstore, library, or educational setting. Locate books that are significant to you; they may help you come to terms with what is significant in your own life.