Finding Your Purpose Is the Key to Happiness and Fulfilment
Finding your purpose for being on this earth is essential to experiencing true happiness and fulfilment. While much attention is given to businesses discovering their “why” to drive success, there is often less focus on helping individuals uncover their own reasons for being. Yet, understanding your personal purpose can profoundly influence your mental well-being and overall life satisfaction.
In my sixty years, I have met thousands of people, and those who truly make a credible difference in the world tend to have clarity about their purpose. These individuals often describe a feeling of being exactly where they should be, experiencing a natural flow in both their work and leisure activities. Serendipity and meaningful moments seem to be part of their everyday lives, reinforcing their sense of alignment with their true path.
From a psychological standpoint, Johann Hari’s research in Lost Connections (2018) highlights the human need for purpose and meaning to maintain psychological well-being. When people find themselves trapped in roles that lack this meaningful connection, their mental health often deteriorates.
Many of us have yet to discover our true purpose and may find ourselves running on a never-ending hamster wheel of activity that diverges from our core reason for being. Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, documented in her book The Top Five Regrets of the Dying that the most common regret expressed by those nearing the end of life was: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”
Too often, external pressures—from family, educators, partners, and financial obligations—push us onto this relentless wheel. Fear keeps us spinning, while courage is required to step off, sometimes into the unknown.
How to Make the Break and Live with Purpose
So how do we break free and live a life filled with purpose? Interviews with successful, purpose-driven individuals on my podcast, 4th Bottom Line, reveal that many have experienced a significant life intervention—often trauma or crisis—that forced them to reevaluate their lives. While some label this a mid-life crisis, I prefer the term “mid-life chrysalis,” symbolizing transformation. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, this process involves letting go, sometimes facing darkness and uncertainty, before emerging renewed.
To facilitate this transformation, the first step is to slow down and move away from purely intellectual living dominated by the cerebral cortex. Contrary to Descartes’ famous dictum, “Cogito ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”), neuroscientist Antonio Damasio demonstrated in Descartes’ Error (1994) that our essence lies not in thought alone but in the limbic, emotional part of the brain.
Socrates’ timeless advice to “Know Thyself” still holds true. Yet many of us neglect to create space for silence and solitude, which are critical for tuning into our heart’s desires and understanding our true essence. Breaking free from the endless “to-do” lists is essential to discovering your true North Star. It’s no coincidence that many leaders I have spoken to regularly spend time in nature, disconnect from devices, and engage in daily meditation. When we know ourselves more deeply, we can more authentically be ourselves and live out our dreams.
Purpose Means Doing Good for Others
A second important insight is that purpose often involves doing good for others or the natural world. Humans are inherently social creatures, biologically wired for connection. Serving others triggers the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, which promote well-being and happiness.
This concept is supported by the ancient wisdom of Okinawa, Japan—one of the world’s five “Blue Zones” where people live longer, healthier lives. I explore this in my book Forces for Good (2019), where I discuss Ikigai, a Japanese term for a life filled with fulfilment and happiness. Ikigai emerges when you do something you love, are good at, get paid for, and that also benefits the world. Without contributing to others or nature, true Ikigai and fulfilment remain elusive.
Find What Makes You Happiest
If you’re struggling to connect with your purpose, start by asking yourself what activities make you happiest. Chances are, these are areas where you naturally excel. While being paid for your purpose is ideal, it might not happen immediately. Consider how others benefit from what you do. Often, people who know you well can recognize when you are operating in your “sweet spot.”
One of the most beautiful aspects of humanity is our diversity. Nearly 9 billion people worldwide each have a unique purpose shaped by their upbringing, experiences, and challenges. Interestingly, it is often the hardships we endure that shape us into “wounded healers” capable of helping others heal. This idea parallels the Japanese art of kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, making the vessel more beautiful and valuable than before it was broken.
If you are reading this, it’s likely that you want to make a positive difference in the world. Are you connected to your purpose? Are you actively following your dreams? Take some time in the coming days to reflect on these questions and consider the path that calls to you.
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