I’ve seen a few blog posts lately (here’s one example) about how difficult it is to find your purpose. What is my passion? Why am I here? What am I supposed to do with my life? These questions, which are part and parcel of–but by no means limited to–the quarter-life crisis phenomenon, can torment a person into a tailspin. I’ve seen many of my friends (and myself) downward spiral into pointless jobs, bad decisions, and emotional misery–all because of questions like these.

Strangely enough, I’ve found that one technique that worked for me was asking more questions. Here’s a list of questions that were helpful for me in figuring out what I want to do with my life. Hopefully, they’ll be of help to you as well!

1. What did I like doing as a child? I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but one of the best ways to find your true passion is to look back to your childhood, before your dreams were tainted by notions of what you “should” do. I loved playing make-believe. I made up stories about my imaginary friends and the adventures we had together. That could have revealed a passion for writing, acting, directing, or any number of creative pursuits. The interpretation is up to you.
2. What makes me cry? Do you tear up when you see commercials about the National Guard? Maybe the idea of protecting others appeals to you. You might be a great policeman, firefighter, FBI agent, or children’s advocate. Does watching the Biggest Loser reduce you to a sniveling mess? You might want to help others get healthy–perhaps as a doctor, nutritionist, or physical trainer.
3. What do I hate about my current job? Ah, this one is interesting. My least favorite part of my current job is drafting and revising documents for my client. Hmmm… but don’t you want to be a writer, you say? YES. That’s why it KILLS me to spend all day writing stuff I don’t really care about. The things you hate may give you a clue as to what you love.
4. What do I do for fun? Do you watch TV or movies? What kind? Are they all comedies? Thrillers? Is there a common theme? What’s your favorite book? Why? Do you love risky past-times like rock-climbing and motorcross? “Organized” hobbies like stamp or coin collecting? All of these things can be clues to what you’re on this earth to do.
5. What are you really good at? This one is tricky. I’m good at math, but it’s not related to my purpose. I’m also good at writing, and that IS related to my purpose. Your skills and abilities may not exactly match up with your purpose, but there will be some overlap.

Be sure to visit the “What’s my purpose?” group in the forums to discuss your specific questions with me and with other readers. Feedback from others can provide interesting insights…

Have a great weekend!

This post was included in Frugal Dad’s weekly roundup and the Carnival of Life Worth Living and was featured in the Wisdom Journal–stop by and check out the other great posts!

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