Living with Purpose
- Aug 11, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Oct 12, 2025
Having purpose is to know exactly why you do the things you do in life. Sure there are better definitions out there but I'd like you to answer this question:
DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU DO THE THINGS YOU'RE DOING IN YOUR LIFE?
Yes you'll go to work because it's your job, yes you'll get up in the morning because you've slept the night before, yes you'll get dressed and make yourself look presentable.
What I'm referring to is WHY? At a deeper level, other than the obvious reasons? Most people will answer with, because I have to. If you answered, because I want to, then there's nothing more to say - you're most likely in a good place, living the way you want. But I suspect quite a few of you said the first one.
Let's get right into why these 4 little words are ruining your happiness and what you can do about it!
The reason you have to do something is because it's lost its joy. What I'm specifically referring to, just for this, is your job, waking up & getting ready for work.
You'd be right (kind of) when saying, I have to work, we all do - how does one earn money without a job! But if the joy was still there you wouldn't have to do anything - you would be in a thought of, I want to do because I feel good about it.
The reason for that is typically because it comes with a feeling that's positive in nature. It likely makes you feel good to know you're going to work because you like or love your job. This probably makes waking up a positive experience because you feel refreshed and have enthusiasm, excitement and optimism coursing through your body. Getting ready for work then becomes somewhat fun as you want to look your best to match how joyous you're feeling and so everything you do is with good energy.
However, when the joy has gone and now you have to go to work, your experience changes quite dramatically. It's common for this to happen - in advance I'll exaggerate for entertainment purposes:
wake up exhausted, instant dread, think please let there be natural disaster today so I don't have to go in (one where nobody dies though - everything's perfectly fine everywhere but for some strange reason, you've now got the day off)
reluctantly drag your heavy body up, stub your toe on the side unit because you can only open one eye but it's the wrong one
shriek a mini FFS (For Flapping Seagulls)
stumble to the bathroom - accidently trip over a slipper - call to Jesus
try to turn the light on, can't find it, ask your partner why they've moved the light switch - remember you have a cord - remember you live alone - feel stupid but carry on - can't find the cord...it keeps slipping from your grasp - now you're playing 'Hook-a-Cord'
finally win the game, pull too hard, cord snaps - now you're talking to God
look in the mirror, quickly turn away and say 'You can flap off as well'
(We'll leave it there - I think you get the point)
There's a cascading effect of either positivity or negativity depending on how we feel about what we do in our lives. This is why it's crucial to have purpose because with definiteness of purpose comes certainty of joy.
When you start living with purpose, everything can positively change minute to minute and when this happens consistently enough, we start to refer to this period as the good life. Your life is either positive or negative in nature so why take a chance on rolling the 'dice of emotion' and hoping that you wake up strangely happy for once!
Take actions that are intentionally positive in nature - this way you ensure the likelihood of waking up in a good vibration. When you vibrate from a purposeful level, everything you think, feel and do becomes charged with magnetic joy.
It doesn't mean bad things won't happen - you're still human. But it does mean that you're more likely to deal with whatever setbacks you encounter. Living with purpose gives your life meaning, having meaning makes you feel important, being important is rewarding and rewards come in all sorts of ways.
So let's now have a quick minute to talk about some ways to live with purpose...
In life, we sometimes feel as though we're not in charge. But like in the video, it's the engineers who create whilst the bosses reap the biggest rewards. In your life, I'm going to suggest that you start working for yourself. Quit working for others, become your own boss & create your own business.
This is a delicate metaphor for taking control (discipline). One thing you have absolute control over is yourself. Now I know it doesn't always seem this way, especially when we start talking about automatic subconscious beliefs, past traumas etc but that's not what we're discussing right now.
Protect what goes into your mind by being aware of who you surround yourself with and more importantly, that you keep a protective lid of self-control - meaning to also control your own impulsive thoughts because they will create negative feelings which can trigger bad habits and coping mechanisms.
What I'm referring to is this:
Taking control means, to take ownership of your own mind - the good, the bad and the absurdly bizarre but through asking yourself certain questions and really sitting down with your responses. Remember, living with purpose means asking yourself what you really want from your life. Your Life!
For example.
What are you passionate about?
Many of us have lost touch with our passions because of the direction our life has gone in for so long. As a result of this, we find ourselves doing things that either started out enjoyable and exciting but lost their appeal or was never something we truly wanted to do in the first place.
My suggestion is to always write your responses down. My preference is pen to paper because it becomes very real when you express it outside of your internal minds dialogue - but making a note on your computer, tablet or phone is just as good, as long as it's easily accessible.
'Passion' itself refers to an almost uncontrollable emotion that gets you extremely excited. It's the type of subject that, when spoken about, your ears prick up and you shuffle forwards with anticipation and interest because you want to hear what's being said and typically you already know quite a lot about it.
It's the feeling that makes you want to talk about something to the point where your eyes widen and a natural and occasionally creepy smile erupts on your face. Obviously I joke with creepy.
Example 2.
What do you physically like doing?
Now don't get sexual on me - wink wink. Think in terms of your recent jobs, hobbies or activities. Some of you will have done many things in your past and then moved onto something different, so you'll have the actual previous hands on experience of doing something you physically enjoyed.
Others might benefit from thinking about what you liked to do back at school, college or university. It can be hard to think of a time when you enjoyed something with passion so if nothing immediately comes to mind - give it a minute. (Patience is hard to master but not impossible to develop)
Allow yourself to time travel using your unique and wonderful higher faculties. One of your higher faculties is memory. (If this is the first time hearing HIGHER FACULTIES, then read that post)
Your memory allows you to travel back and see images, a montage or a mini video of a past experience. Some of you might not have enjoyed your younger days so it's ok that you might not want to look back but I will suggest that you do this anyway.
It's also very common that when you think back, looking for something quite specific, that your memory only gives you a title and an emotion.
For example.
Loved going swimming with school, can't remember it but it makes me smile.
That's a good start...
Again, when you have something, write it down. Feel absolutely free to think about what exactly you loved or liked about it? Was there a certain thing that you did? Was there a certain thing that someone else did?
Please take the time to seriously reflect and not be like this...https://youtu.be/Ld35lMnFQ10
Example 3.
What can you see yourself doing?
Sometimes you might have nothing positive to reflect on. It's alright if that's the case so now think about what you currently like doing? What things, activities & experiences have you recently had that made you feel good or that you think you might be good at?
All of us have our unique passions. Like in the video, the girl liked to beat the crap out of poor little Elmo...I'm not suggesting you go to your dark side with this but I'm hoping you understood the positive point I was subtly nudging you towards!
I'm aware some of you might find this exercise quite basic but trust me, if you've never done it before, please have an open mind & give it a try.
DISCLAIMER:
The older we get the more cynical we become and so we end up refusing to do anything that seems child like or so mind numbingly obvious. The problem with this way of looking at it is - sometimes the best exercises are the simplest and most effective at getting results.
SIDE NOTE:
Most of us have been taught, at some point, typically into our younger years; that grown ups don't do this type of thing because we're mature, responsible and not living in fantasy land anymore!
The sad thing about this is that, in an attempt for our elders to help us grow up and mature; they taught us that it's wrong to be anything similar to a child. Therefore we detached from an innocent state of existence and began the journey into adulthood - but get this - most of us were still in childhood/adolescence when we were taught this.
Consequently, we start wearing a mask to conform to the wants & desires of our elders and we often do this for approval. We trust that the elders must be right, so we change our way of acting outwardly. But on the inside we can feel like we're not good enough because someone had to tell us to stop being ourselfes - this can lead young people to become adult 'People Pleasers.'
Always keep your mind open to new ways of being but not at the expense of your own happiness - this kid has the right mindset. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/MgWdOYdhlaE?feature=share
Sometimes our passions from the past will not enthuse us as they once did and that's perfectly normal and ok. But it's a great starting point because sometimes we've lost touch with something that we became diverted from and need re-introducing to.
Takeaway message:
Living with purpose not only makes everyday exciting, interesting & meaningful but it helps you to face, manage & conquer all the in-between bits. When we are living our lives from a positive place of passion, enjoyment & fulfilment, it makes it that much easier so stay away from negative sources, people, places & habits.
SUGGESTION:
Read the blog, 'Avoid negative sources, people, places and habits'
Until next time - passion is not just a fruit.
Now something more personal and powerful from Steve Irwin, a wildlife conservation enthusiast from Australia. here's an example of a guy who embodies passion.
No matter what you do with your life, make passion the driving force behind as much of it as possible because it will get you through the other bits. Not every single moment of life is going to be filled with absolute joy but when you live your life with passion and do it on purpose, in an organised way; there's a better chance of not only being happy but spreading that happiness to everyone you encounter along the way.
Be brave, be bold, be courageous, be passionate, be enthusiastic, be excited but above all, be alive. The guarantee of death is that your influence over others has ended so make the most of your life by, living with purpose.
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