Challenges When Finding Your PurposeThe greatest challenges when finding your purpose come from yourself. There is nothing external that you need to discover. It is already within you. Uncovering your vision is a matter of piercing through the fog of beliefs, reasons and expectations flooding your conscious mind. By consistently shining awareness into this fog you will eventually move through it to see yourself clearly and begin writing your mission statement.
There are two main areas where you might face challenges in finding your purpose. These are self-esteem and procrastination. Self-EsteemHigh self-esteem is important because it enables you to recognise the different aspects of who you are, what you are good at and what you want. These are the three fundamental building blocks described in Finding Life Purpose. When dominated by negative self-talk you will not have the courage to go within and connect with your authentic self, because it can be scary! ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure’ – Marianne Williamson When you are out of touch with your inner being then you will find it difficult to identify your values through the question ‘What is important for you to be you?’. In this state you will not be able to connect with who you need to be when finding your purpose. Similarly when self-esteem is low you may find it difficult to appreciate what you do, or engage with your passions and talents. If this is the case then it will be nearly impossible to identify the intersection of your talents and the needs of the world, which is required to uncover the context of your life purpose. Low self-esteem can also impair your goal setting ability. If you feel like you do not deserve any success and are not able to have the things that you want you will not be motivated to even try. This means you will not attain the forward movement necessary to gain the sense of direction crucial to finding your purpose. Each of the three building blocks for finding your purpose: being, doing and having, are clouded by negative beliefs. Finding a career beyond your fear requires you rise above these anxieties. ProcrastinationFrom a short term perspective the greatest challenge to finding your purpose is procrastination. When undergoing the necessary introspection for writing a mission statement we will inevitably face feelings of frustration or confusion. Honest self-reflection will bring up actions and decisions we like but also those that are less flattering. Our self-image feels injured when confronting anything that does not support it. Frustration, confusion and any feelings that lead to the conclusion ‘It is not working, I’ll do it later’, are a result of resistance to what is. When these feelings come up just be aware of them, take a deep breath, remind yourself of the importance of a mission statement and calmly continue. When you allow the smoke screen of emotions to stop you, you know that ‘doing it later’ will not happen for a long long time! Getting unstuckWhen you are feeling particularly frustrated, and do not know where to go next, try one of these approaches. The aim is to engage your creativity and allow you to see yourself from new perspectives.
The challenges that occur are all linked to your beliefs and fears. By continually clarifying your building blocks you will steadily move closer to your personal mission statement. The fog will dissipate as your self-esteem rises and your self-image accepts who you are. By avoiding procrastination and using the techniques above to get unstuck you are on the track to finding your purpose. Return to Personal Mission Statement
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