Crafting a Personal Purpose Statement: A Journey to Authentic Living

For the longest time, I wrestled with a persistent question about life meaning: am I spending my energy on things that truly matter to me?

I found myself chasing what I was told to chase, running on a treadmill at full speed but never feeling like I was making meaningful progress on my self-discovery journey. It was frustrating because I knew I could work hard—incredibly hard. I've always had this unusual capacity for perseverance.

But I kept wondering: what am I persevering for? What was my true purpose?

The Life Reflection Questions

As I was putting so much effort into all things I was working on, these questions would surface:

• What am I working so hard on?

• Why am I putting so much energy into these pursuits?

• What's the deeper purpose behind it all?

These weren't idle wonderings but rather persistent thoughts that made me question whether I was truly living my life or simply going through prescribed motions.

A Shift in Perspective

The frequency of these questions diminished significantly when I finally discovered my purpose statement. The journey to this clarity wasn't straightforward—it included a health challenge that made me pause.

When I received news about my cancer diagnosis, I wasn't immediately thinking about purpose statements or life missions. But as I processed what was happening, I found myself reflecting on my life in new ways.

What struck me wasn't fear of what might happen, but rather the realization that I couldn't clearly articulate what I had lived for if someone had asked. Yes, I was living with intention in many ways—I had built a family I treasured and developed a career I was passionate about. I tried to bring my best self to most moments.

But there was something missing—a thread that connected all these parts of my life into a coherent whole.

My Personal Purpose Statement

Through this deep reflection came purpose clarity: my personal purpose statement is to share my raw stories of living an authentic life to inspire others to reflect on their own.

Not to tell others how to live. Not to provide step-by-step guidance. Simply to share my experiences—the stumbles, the victories, the ordinary moments that revealed extraordinary truths—in hopes that others might find value in relating them to their own lives.

Everyone Has Their Own Timeline

That's just my story. I don't believe everyone needs a health scare or major life disruption to find their purpose. Each person's journey unfolds in its own time, with its own catalysts and revelations.

And for those curious—I'm doing well now. I addressed my health situation and actually feel stronger than before. Perhaps there's a story there too, about not appreciating health until it's challenged, but that's a reflection for another day.

I explore more of this authentic living journey in my book, "The Stories We Tell," where I share the full narrative of how I came to understand my purpose and find meaning in life through personal growth.

What's your story? I believe we all have one worth telling and that each person's path to finding purpose is uniquely their own.