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<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u201cI found my purpose with the help of an executive coach. I made it to the highest point in my profession, but still felt lost and unsure of myself. So I hired a coach who helped me explore my personal values. No one had ever spoken to me about them! This is how I found my life\u2019s purpose. It\u2019s the foundation for everything I do. Start with your values \u2014 you\u2019ll never feel fulfilled in a job, role, relationship, or activity if you don\u2019t honor them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014John Sigmon, founder\/CEO, Branchport, NY<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Be optimistic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI found my purpose by being eternally optimistic. I began seeing every encounter and event as an opportunity to re-awaken my childlike sense of awe and wonder. I tried anything and everything that felt even a little bit exciting to me, then asked myself deep questions like, \u2018What are the careers that involve any part of this? What would it take for me to become a professional in this craft or field?\u2019 Then I followed the opportunities wherever they led.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Pamela Muller, author, spiritual director, and dream expert, Johns Creek, GA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Help children in need<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI loved my career climbing the corporate ladder in New York City as a single woman. I thought I had everything I needed, but one day, I heard a whisper in my head, saying, \u2018If this is the next 30 years, will it be enough?\u2019 I was shocked when my immediate response was, \u2018No, I missed something.\u2019 I knew it was children. I decided to call shelters to see if I could read with the children there. One night, as I said goodbye to the children I watched them go into a room to sleep. They climbed onto couches, crying, as the staff tried to comfort them. They didn\u2019t change clothes, read stories, or receive hugs from parents. I felt paralyzed \u2014 I didn\u2019t think this was how bedtime was supposed to be for a child. So I brought pajamas with me the following week. After I read to the children, I gave each one pajamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One little girl looked up at me and said, \u2018What are these?\u2019 \u2018They\u2019re pajamas,\u2019 I answered. \u2018Where do I wear them?\u2019 she said. \u2018To bed at night,\u2019 I replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She looked at me, puzzled. \u2018What do you usually wear to bed?\u2019 I asked. \u2018My pants,\u2019 she said. My heart sank. On the subway to work a few weeks later, I felt what I can only describe as a \u2018raindrop\u2019 fall onto my head, and the words \u2018Pajama Program\u2019 spoke to me, loud and clear, and that\u2019s when I knew that I had found my true purpose. I thought of nothing else as I continued working, knowing in my heart that I was about to jump off that corporate ladder. And that was nearly 20 years ago!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Genevieve Piturro, founder, New York, NY<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognize the power of your thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve found my purpose \u2014 or at least started on the journey \u2014 by acknowledging the power of my daily thought patterns. My priority is to have greater control over how my mind responds to the world around me. The more in-control I am of my inner world \u2014 how I react to life\u2019s unpredictable beauty, how I process my feelings and emotions, etc. \u2014 the easier it is for me to structure the outside world the way I see fit. A better relationship with my thought patterns and habits is the ultimate foundation for everything I hope to experience. I want to continue growing my company Grateful Peoples, building a happy family, and everything else in between!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Teddy Droseros, founder, New York, NY<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prioritize authenticity<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor more than 20 years, I was lucky enough to hold corporate positions of increasing responsibility at Fortune 500 companies. While I was very satisfied most of the time, I knew that the number one reason I went to work every day was to positively impact the people I worked with on daily basis \u2014 including my manager, team, and colleagues. But then I realized that I could provide more value if I showed up more authentically on a daily basis. That\u2019s when I decided to start sharing my personal practice of meditation with those who were interested. I introduced weekly mindfulness meditation sessions at my office, and something that started as five people \u2018hiding\u2019 in a room to consciously breathe for 10 minutes became part of a wellness program. While observing the ways my colleagues benefitted firsthand, I felt compelled to dedicate all my time, energy, and passion for mindfulness at the workplace. I founded OnBeing Mindful, and we I have trained hundreds of leaders on Mindful Leadership. I feel a deep sense of joy, happiness, and fulfillment when someone asks me what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Rafael Puebla, mindfulness teacher, Miami, FL<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dedicate your time to others<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAccording to African traditions, we\u2019re born with a purpose. Children\u2019s names are codes that carry theirs. Each time they\u2019re called, they remember it. I \u2018remembered\u2019 mine when I was about 14, studying meditation and spirituality. I fell in love with helping people find their ability to transform. I\u2019ve done this as a professor supporting students\u2019 academic growth, as a yoga teacher encouraging someone to reach a little more, and as an author shedding light on a path through self-doubt. Our purpose is our superpower, shining through everything we do. Fortunately, mine matches my name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Dr. Sandra Y. Lewis, author, clinical psychologist, Montclair, NJ<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pursue a problem you feel driven to solve<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI created what I needed, and then looked for others who could benefit from it. \u2018Follow your passion\u2019 was bad advice for me. It always left me feeling lost and incomplete\u2026 until I reframed the advice. So: Pursue a problem you feel passionate about solving. Then each time you meet a new person with that challenge, it\u2019ll reignite your passion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Stacy Cassio, CEO, Charlotte, NC<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tune into your strengths<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI found my purpose after my first husband passed. I realized that hope, encouragement, and inspiration was something that I give others, but it also makes me feel the same way. Giving to others hope makes me hopeful, and also makes my life worth it. My passion is sharing it with those who can change the world through speaking, writing, and volunteering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Camellia Varnado, HR supervisor, Dallas, TX<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow your heart<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI spent nearly ten years working in finance on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley, got my MBA from Stanford and achieved so-called \u2018success,\u2019 but I wasn\u2019t happy or fulfilled. I felt like I climbed to the top of the ladder only to realize that it was the wrong ladder! This led to a lot of soul-searching. I studied mindfulness, the neuroscience behind behavior change, hypnosis and past life healing \u2014 you name it, I\u2019ve probably tried it. I realized that I\u2019d been following my ego, mind, and wallet my whole life, instead of my heart, intuition, or soul. That needed to change. So I quit my job with nothing planned, and made a commitment to follow my heart for six months with the goal of finding work I loved. Within a year, I founded my own business running leadership development, speaking, and group coaching programs for women. I haven\u2019t looked back since!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Vanessa Loder, founder, Lafayette, CA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Get to know yourself better<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFinding my calling in work required me to understand myself. It\u2019s only when my core values aligned \u2014 largely \u2014 with my overall mission and career to-do list that I found a sense of purpose, a sense of true belonging, and confidence in what I sought to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014Katelyn Pfeffer, fitness studio manager and coach, Little Rock, AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We\u2019ve all heard the advice to \u201cdo what you love,\u201d but that approach can feel oversimplified and unrealistic. One interesting recent study found a more nuanced equation for finding satisfaction and avoiding burnout at work:…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":308,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[10],"tags":[72,70,71],"class_list":["post-307","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-10-smart-ways-to-discover-your-true-purpose","tag-purpose","tag-work-and-life"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/towncryyers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/D030-0915-135-850x566.jpg?resize=850%2C566\")
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