7 Misconceptions About Life Purpose

There are many misconceptions about life purpose. Those misconceptions cause a lot of people to needlessly twist themselves into knots trying to figure out what they’re here for.

Below are some common misunderstandings about purpose that I hope to clear up for you.

1. Not everyone has a life purpose.

We are all born with a purpose. Purpose is something that comes from the heart. It’s what you love to do. Rest assured, there is a reason you’re here. The fact that you’re reading this and are thinking about life purpose is your indicator that you have a purpose!

2. Some purposes are bigger and better than others. They have more of an impact.

Comparison is never a good idea. We are all unique and have come into this life with our own desires, skills, interests and intentions. Your purpose is yours. To fulfill your purpose, it’s not necessary to be a big influencer, or start large foundations. For some people that is their path, but for most it isn’t.

And you really can’t judge your impact!

I certainly loved being a lower elementary Montessori teacher, but at the time had no idea how deeply I impacted some of my students.

After I left teaching I started to hear from some of my former students as young adults. They told me their experience in my class had instilled a life long love of learning and had prepared them well for all that came after they graduated from my class. Their Montessori days were looked upon with fondness and appreciation. I realized that if even a few lives had been enriched, that was significant.

3. Your life purpose will require hard work and sacrifice.

The opposite is actually true. When you’re doing what you love, you put your love into it. And, I’ll repeat—your purpose is always about what you love to do. It utilizes your innate talents and learned skills. Even if there are challenges, you’ll be so happy with what you’re doing, you won’t think of them as hard.

In her book, "The Passion Test," Janet Atwood describes her burning desire to interview the master spiritual teachers in India and film it for a documentary. She had delays and what looked like setbacks. As she went with the flow of what was before her to do, the “setbacks” actually created the funds, arrangements and timing that she needed!

Once in India, she went on a trek up a mountain without the proper clothes and became very ill due to the extreme cold. But fellow travelers took care of her and she recovered. You could say these experiences may have felt like terrible ordeals, but when asked how her trip went she said, “It was the best experience of my life!” To her, the joy of the task was what stood out.

4. You can only have one purpose in life.

As we move through life, we grow and change. Our purpose may shift as well. It may not be something completely different, but how you express it may change. I was on purpose when I was teaching and I’m on purpose now as a coach.

It’s certainly possible to have more than one purpose. For example, you could have a purpose in raising your children to be their best selves as well as working in a career you love.

We all have a purpose of expanding into more love. The things we do in our everyday lives help us do that. It isn’t so much about what we do, as it is who we become as we do it.

5. If other people are doing it, it’s not my purpose.

With 7 billion people on the planet someone else is sure to be doing what you’re doing. And that’s a good thing.

You are unique! And you’ll be doing that thing that someone else is doing in your own, unique way.

Mary Morrissey tells the story of participating with the Dalai Lama in a workshop. The Dalai Lama addressed the entire crowd and then the crowd broke up into small groups. Mary was the leader of one of the small groups.

She said something that caused one man in the group to get clarity on a point. He was very grateful and excited! Mary thought to herself, “But I only said what the Dalai Lama had just said. I just phrased it in my own way.” That’s when she realized that everyone has their own way of perceiving and taking in knowledge. That man needed to hear it in the way that she expressed it.

You’ll find you will resonate with the people (or animals, or plants) that you’re meant to serve.

6. Purpose has to be about your career.

We all want to find our life’s work because we want to do meaningful work that we’re excited about doing. We all deserve that! Your purpose certainly can be about your career.

But purpose is also about more than your career. It is about your own spiritual growth . That can be accomplished through your life’s work or through other experiences, such as parenting , volunteering , caring for an ill loved one, being a good friend—the list goes on!

7. I can’t make a living doing what I love.

This is a common concern. Look around and see how many people are, in fact, making a living doing what they love to do. There are many examples. When you’re fired up about your vocation you’ll be successful. You’ll let nothing stand in your way.

It’s also wise to consider how you define a good living. If you have everything you need, when you need it, that’s abundance ! I’m not suggesting just squeaking by. If you can live a healthy lifestyle, have a home that suits you, some savings and opportunities for fun, you’re certainly abundant.

So tune into what you love and what you’re good at doing. Avoid censoring yourself in any way. Think with appreciation on the things you’ve overcome in your life. In the end, your purpose is what you say it is.