Will I ever find my purpose?

7 Comments

1. Sophie JoernMarch 20,2022 at 10:03PM UTC

   Hello! Job hunting can be such a daunting, draining and vulnerable process, I feel you! Have you completed any personality assessments before? I found some of those to be very insightful in what my strengths/weakness/preferences are, it actually lead me to my current career path! 16personalitys was a favorite. Sometimes a good place to start as well when you are unsure is a recruiting or career agency. These can come in a variety of forms from your local job service (government agency) private staffing firms or even college career centers! When searching for something new, remaining open minded and creative can sometimes land you in places you didn't even realize existed. If you are open to it, many companies are now offering remote opportunities, giving the ability to reach even more possibilities without relocating. Another option you could consider is looking for a coach to partner with to help you with your search. Keep your head up and don't be afraid to try something new! :)

2. AnonymousMarch 20,2022 at 11:25PM UTC

   I understand. What you are asking takes a great deal of introspection and honest assessment.

   You can't find purposes from the outside. You will not suddenly find a job description that clicks. It doesn't work like that. You must understand and know yourself and where you find meaning, purpose is the intersection of desire, talent, ability and understanding. The spark that happens is sometimes a slow burn and sometimes an intense inferno when opportunity collides with all of that. The financial and security aspects of a job may or may not follow suit but the fire and drive are forces just the same.

3. Marquisha ThomasMarch 21,2022 at 2:12AM UTC

   Not really sure where to begin, because it all depends on what your heart and mind is telling you to do in terms of the path you take (only you would be able to know that!). But I wanted to share a story… My husband has been a nurse for 18 years. He kept it up mainly as a job and because he got to help people, but it’s never been where his passion and heart lies. At 43 years old, he finally decided to go for his dreams last year (also will be a very decent paying job as well to help support our kids/family, so that’s important, of course)… But he applied to law school from LSAT scores he sat on a couple years ago, and got in with a partial scholarship! He thought he had missed his mark, but it shows that it’s never too late. Hope this is at least encouraging for you!

4. Arlene Frances Gottardo (Bryak)March 21,2022 at 1:26PM UTC

   I also returned to school like your husband did (at 38) and became a Children’s librarian. I’m retired, but still dabble in puppets & storytimes!

5. Arlene Frances Gottardo (Bryak)March 21,2022 at 1:23PM UTC

   What sets YOU on fire? That’s where you look….

   Like to travel? Apply at a travel agency. Hospitals are like little “cities”; lots of different occupations can be found inside. You sound adventurous! My daughter is a flight attendant-she loves it. I was a Children’s librarian; I loved it & still dabble telling stories with puppets!

6. Glenport LifeMarch 21,2022 at 5:22PM UTC

   take some free on-line career direction quizzes... what gets you out of bed that you like to do? What are your strengths? Find someone doing something you think you might like and ask them how they got there? maybe retrain?

7. AnonymousMarch 21,2022 at 7:09PM UTC

   First, you have to know what it is that you actually want before you pursue it wholeheartedly. But that knowledge doesn't just fall on your head one day. So what you have to do is dabble. Write out everything you kind of enjoy doing or the skills you like to use, like creativity or number crunching, and then start researching, talking to people in those career fields, doing hobbies in those fields, or volunteering, etc. You have to do some thinking and some action (trial and error). It has to be a balance. So put yourself out there, narrow down the fields, and always be reflecting the whole time, maybe through a journal specific to your career path. And again, networking can really help with this. But it isn't easy going and it's also unrealistic to expect something to light a fire under you all the time--fire burns out. It's good to want to love what you do, but you need something more sustainable than that. Also, you speak of purpose, yet you're talking only about yourself (how you feel, what you want, etc.). Someone's purpose is usually in respect to the world and other people. So think of that, as well. What and how can you contribute to others that give you a sense of drive and purpose.