A Purpose for Every Corner

Purpose is the invisible force that drives us — a guiding light that gets us through life's daily challenges and uncertainties.

And I've learned that a purpose doesn't have to be a grand vision, as many believe.

For example, the purpose of making money to put food on the table is often enough to help you weather the ups and downs of an otherwise soul-sucking and demanding job.

It reminds you why you're doing this when you feel like giving up.

But crafting a single purpose that fits every corner of your life is challenging, if not impossible.

We humans are complex creatures who play more than one role every day — a person, a parent, a spouse, an employee, a business owner, etc.

So, instead of wrecking my brain trying to figure out "the purpose", I spent some time last week to understand my purpose for each corner of my life.

I started with a blank note in my notes app and made a 2x2 table with the headers Area and Purpose:

Under the Area column, I listed every important area of my life that I want to enrich, take care of, and excel at:

Areas like family, self, business, travelling, finances and health.

Each area is different, and finding a purpose for each would help me understand what I want from those parts of my life and take the necessary steps.

For example, under Finances, I wrote, "Don't go broke."

This guiding principle will help me ensure that I don't spend beyond my means, don't make decisions that are too risky for my appetite, and prioritise having a solid financial base over chasing ungodly sums of money.

Under Health, I wrote "Agility and feel good over external appearances."

While developing a muscular appearance is a side benefit of exercising well, it's not what I aim for.

Sure, the 24-year-old me would've preferred a well-toned physique over agility and long-term health, but now I value the ability to stay healthy and not end up in a hospital bed far more than getting sleeves-tearing biceps.

With this focused purpose, I can design my workout regime to match my long-term goals — living well.

Regardless of which stage you are in your life, you can do this exercise to gain more clarity and design your future accordingly.

The process is simple and takes less than 30 minutes.

Take a sheet of paper, or create a blank digital note and list each area of your life you'd like to care for and improve.

Then, write the first thing you wish for each area of your life as your purpose. Don't overthink; write what you honestly want from that portion of your life.

If your primary reason for going to the gym or running every morning is to look good for your partner or a date, then be honest and write it as your purpose for that corner of your life.

Being transparent will help you plan your workouts in a way that contributes to your goal — looking good. Maybe this will change five years later, but for now, this is what you want, and that's okay.

We are all a work in progress.

And having a purpose for each corner of your life will help you stick to habits, make wiser decisions, and become the version of yourself you aspire to be.

Try it.