Growing up as a teen up to my 20s, I have had my share of life experiences. These experiences made me see life from different perspectives. Though not always pleasant, they have taught me lessons and shaped me into the person I am today, which I doubt would have happened if I hadn’t experienced them. The most important and overarching lesson I have learned so far is how one’s purpose(s) influences their goals.
Though the two are used interchangeably on various occasions and under different circumstances, a person’s goal can differ from their purpose. Your goal could be something you want to accomplish, whereas your purpose is the reason for achieving or setting such a goal. Simply put, your purpose is what influences your goal. For instance, a person’s life goal could be to become an activist, and their reason for setting such a goal could be because their life’s purpose is to speak up for others. It is essential to point out that your purpose is the driving force behind your goals. Having a purpose or reason to achieve your goals provides a sense of fulfillment when they are fulfilled and gives you something concrete to strive for.
Another way to look at it is to understand that it is difficult to map out how you will get somewhere if you don’t know where you are going. Your purpose will bring clarity to your situations during chaos and confusion. An essential part of making your goals work for you and achieving your overall objective is to plan. I know it sounds cliche, but it’s the truth—plan plan plan. Small plans, big plans, detailed plans, general plans, make them, put something down on paper, have a mental picture. MAKE A PLAN OF HOW YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS WHICH WILL ENABLE YOU TO ACCOMPLISH WHATEVER YOUR PURPOSE IS. Plans, goals, and purposes are all connected.
Meanwhile, your purpose doesn’t have to be extravagant; it can be whatever brings you that sense of fulfillment and keeps you going. It can be specific but doesn’t have to be; there’s always room for improvement along the way as long as there is a foundation. Our generation has a lot of pressure to have life-changing goals and purpose(s) or big dreams. It is okay not to dream all the time and to have small dreams. It’s okay to have small plans aimed toward achieving a bigger goal. Purposes shouldn’t stop you from progressing in life; they should be the anchor that keeps you going. If they aren’t doing the latter, maybe it’s about time you sit and reassess them?
I see my purpose as my destination and my goals as the directions to get me there. Without a destination, directions are not of much use. This mentality has helped me to see what I want to achieve in life over the years. With such self-awareness, a person is more likely to recognize the value of their purpose.