“Find your why and you’ll find your way.”
– John C. Maxwell

Purpose-driven is referred to in this article as the desire to find your WHYs and know what to do afterward.          

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“What is your why? Why did you even get out of bed this morning? Why did you eat what you ate? Why did you wear what you wore? Why did you come here?” These are the questions  Howard Inlet, the character played by Will Smith, asks his employees at the beginning of the movie “Collateral Beauty.”

Should you be asked the same questions, would you be able to answer unequivocally?  Do you have definite answers, at least, to the first two questions? If your answer is yes, good for you. Way to go! I wouldn’t be surprised if you eventually succeed in your personal and professional pursuits, or you might have already done it. But if your answer is no, I would suggest you do some soul-searching because, seemingly, you have been cruising through life aimlessly. Likely, you don’t know your purpose. You may not be living your life knowingly.

Purpose is a powerful driving force in our quest for a better self and a better life. It is the reason why we do what we do and why we exist. They help us have a meaningful existence. Thus, we should strive hard to know (or establish) our purpose and be driven by it. We need to live life with definite intentions.

The question is how. How do you live life purposely?

Simon Sinek gave the following suggestion – “Start with why” (which is also the title of probably the most popular among the books he has written). Although the book focuses on organization and leadership and how having a WHY helps the leader succeed in bringing success to the organization, the WHY principles Sinek articulated also apply to individuals. He (Sinek) said your WHY is your purpose, cause, or belief.

It’s not only organizations and leaders who should have (and be very clear with their)   WHYs. Every person should have them, whether or not they belong to an organization, whether or not they are leaders. Individuals must determine and establish their purpose, cause, and belief. It’s not only organizations and leaders who should know why they do what they do and why they exist. Each of us should also have a clear understanding of these things.

Two of Howard Inlet’s questions – “Why did you eat what you ate?” and “Why did you wear what you wore?” – may, at first glance, be considered inconsequential. But as one of the owners of that advertising company in that story, Inlet wants to drive home a very important point – that every member of that organization should be aware of the reasons why they do what they do.

This is one thing we ought to be doing, even on a personal level. We ought to be asking ourselves why we do what we do.

I presume (and I hope my presumption is right) that you have set goals in the different areas of life – family and relationships, career and business, personal growth and development, and fun and recreation. The foregoing are the areas with which I  subdivided my life. You may have subdivided your life differently from the way I did. But one thing is for sure, just like me, you have goals in the different aspects of your life, no matter how you may have structured it. Those goals manifest your purpose or purposes, the causes you advocate, and the beliefs you uphold.

The answer to the question “Why did you even get out of bed this morning?” should be as simple as – to pursue your goals in different areas of your life. Right?

But how many out of 10 people set goals (and are you one of them)? How many do live a life driven by a definite purpose? That is difficult to answer with absolute certainty. The one thing I noticed about estimates on how many percent of people in a particular country succeeded in their chosen endeavors and fields of expertise is that none of the statistics went above 10%. Actually, the majority of the articles I read on the topic claimed it’s only 2% to 5%. So, if goals correlate to success, given all the aforementioned numbers, is it safe to assume that approximately only 1 out of 10 set goals?

Granting that my estimation is accurate, only 1 out of 10 people know their purpose, cause, and belief. Most people wake up in the morning not knowing what they will do and where they are headed. I hope that you’re not one of them.  

Those questions that I said earlier are seemingly inconsequential and necessary to ask to remind you that even the simplest things you do every day should contribute to attaining your big goals.

What sets purpose-driven people apart from those who are not is that the former constantly ask themselves this question – what consequences do my words, actions, and thoughts bear on the goals that I set.

Your  WHY is your north star. It gives you a sense of direction. Not having it is like walking aimlessly, not knowing where to go. Not knowing it is like looking for something that you don’t know. You’ll never find it. It’s like living life randomly, not purposely.  

Knowing your WHY allows you to clearly identify your goals… goals that, as previously mentioned, are the manifestations of your purpose or purposes in life, the causes you advocate, and the beliefs you uphold.

But knowing your WHY is only the beginning. It’s like getting ready at the starting line of a marathon you decided to join. Eventually, you will start running, and you know what it takes to succeed in this kind of competition – physical and mental toughness.   

There are character traits required for one to become truly purpose-driven. These are passion and perseverance.

What do you do after setting your goals? Answer: Pursue them with passion and perseverance. After establishing your goals and setting the plans for their pursuit, obstacles, and challenges will lie in the path to their accomplishment. It’s not easy climbing Mt. Everest. The things you want to possess, become, and accomplish will not be delivered to you on a silver platter. You have to work hard to get them.  Whatever you want – wealth, power, fame, success, health, and happiness – will not knock at your door. You’ll have to go out and seek for them. And in the process of seeking them out, you need passion and perseverance.

Cambridge defines passion as “an extreme interest in or wishes for doing something, such as a hobby, activity, etc.” and perseverance as “continued effort and determination.” Obviously, both traits are needed by those who want to have their hands raised on the winners’ podium. You cannot afford to be half-hearted in your undertakings. Be consumed by a burning desire to achieve your goals and realize your dreams. And even when the going gets rough,  you’re not supposed to give up so easily.  You have to persevere. What’s the use of knowing your why and setting goals after if you don’t pursue them vigorously. When you run a race, make sure you finish it.

Duckworth (2016) packaged these two constructs, passion, and perseverance, into one concept – GRIT. As cited by Fessler (2018), Duckworth defines the term “as passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way. It combines reliance, ambition, and self-control in pursuing goals that take months, years, or even decades.”

Studies on grit have repeatedly proven that people holding steadfast to their goals through time succeed. So, learn to stick with your goals despite your difficulties and challenges.