What's your purpose in life?

[Consideringit]

I'm having a bad time at work at the min and for the first time in my life, I'm beginning to think beyond my immediate job.

I don't know what I want to achieve in my life to consider it 'worthwhile' or 'good'

What do you want to achieve in your life? What motivates you to get out of bed every day and face the world?

I feel the same as you, I don’t have much motivation career wise but am on a decent enough salary for my lifestyle. The thought of creating fun memories (concerts, holidays, bbqs with friends in summer and watching my nieces grow up) is what keeps me going. Me and DH have had fertility issues for the past 5+ years and I’ve had some really low points, so thinking of the good times to come keeps me going!

mish I hope you are okay xx

@Travelfan2021 perfectly put!

Looking after my children. If they’re happy, I’m happy.

Happiness seems to be the key. Do you instinctively know what makes you happy or have you done some thinking/work to identify that for you?

I've never had a great career but that's never been my purpose in life. For me I always wanted to have a family, a happy relationship and just try and be helpful to my wider family and friends. I think helping others gives a real sense of purpose, particularly if you're feeling low yourself. I try and create lots of nice experiences with people. For example, my parents are old and frail now and can't do much. I like to treat them, take them out for lunch etc because I know it gives them a real boost. I think if I can bring a little happiness or help to others then my life is worthwhile.
I'm someone who's very easily pleased so generally feel content.

Yeah, being a mummy. Even though they are all over 21. :-)
Nature. Animals. Sunshine. Sea. A good book or tv programme. Nothing huge. Just like @Travelfan2021 contentment. We can't ALL change the world, I'll just look after my little corner of it. :-)

Life's purpose atm is to hand over cash to teenagers and wash clothes.
In the future I hope it to be gardening and more time with ddogs. Sadly won't be the ones we currently have..

I foster, that gives me a purpose, in fact since DH died a year ago it is just about the only thing that stops everything feeling pointless.

I used to feel like this a lot and then one day I saw a video of an old man speaking. I can't even remember the exact context or what it was for but he was saying that the purpose of life is just to live and that somehow really hit home to me. We put so much pressure on ourselves to make our lives be a particular way in order to feel like it gives us some purpose or makes our life worthwhile (and I think social media can make that so much worse) but for me now my purpose in life is just to live, and to try to be present for as much of it as possible if that makes sense? If I can't spend every waking moment travelling or doing exciting things that I love doing, it doesn't mean that I can't take pleasure in the small things and actually just enjoy the experience of just being alive.

Being a great parent and role model
providing financial stability for my family
not running myself Into the ground but having a career that allows me to work independently, flexibly and for a good wage
the above to allow me to travel once children older for 2 mo the a year
essentially down size semi retirement by 55
And hope I don’t die before I get that opportunity!!

Love this.

This is a really interesting question. I have thought about this a lot in the last 3 years.

In a nutshell, I value my sense of personal fulfilment and self development.

In asking myself this question and by looking at ways I can improve myself I've realised that I've live with lots of self limiting beliefs that have held me back in life in general. Something I'm now trying to address.

Also, have you looked into human design? It's very interesting and may help you lean into what's important to you.

This is something I have thought about a lot. And I agree that really there is no purpose but to live as happily as you can.
For me happiness is family, creativity, sufficient money, friends, health.
World peace might be nice.

Just to survive for a decent length of time really and hopefully have some good experiences and happy times along the way. I don’t feel like I have a ‘purpose’ at all. I try to take pleasure in the little things and actually that gets easier as I get older. Nature, sunshine, dogs, cups of tea, dancing, good food. Those are the sorts of things that make me feel life is worth living.

If I can occasionally have a positive impact on others then even better (or at least not negatively impact others).

The subversion of societal norms through the medium of burlesque dance.

And, I'm 'relentlessly cheerful'.

I forgot...sunshine, dogs and good food and drink.
The little things are good too...audio books, gripping box sets etc.

Sleep. I love sleep. All those dreams. The awake bit is mainkg about getting me in a position to sleep. Safe, warm, fed and a bit of exercise and a few nice thoughts to drift off too.
I actually enjoy my awake bits too. This isnt mean to sound low. I like greenery and being part of the universe.

I feel really pathetic saying this but my purpose in life is loving and taking care of my husband and son!

Yes, exactly this. I said some similar things in the speech I gave at my Dad’s funeral. He was a man who very much enjoyed the journey, rather than being fixated on the destination. He achieved a lot in his career and personal life, but for him, sitting in a chair with a cup of tea, listening to the birds in the garden was real contentment. I think contentment is more profound than happiness, and. More realistic thing to aim for.

I don’t really think life has purpose or meaning because I don’t have any profound spiritual beliefs so I think we’re all here by chance really. If we have any ‘purpose’ at all as a species, it is to survive and reproduce.

To raise happy and resilient children who know how to create their own joy. I have a well paid interesting job, but raising my kids to be good, kind, happy people makes me feel everything is worthwhile. I was just sitting eating soup with my 14 year old son a moment ago and we were having a chat about bands we like, and I just thought, ‘isn’t this nice’ (even though his taste in music is terrible 😂)

I think I'm simple person, so simple things makes me happy. Just going outside and see the plant grow, birds feeding n the garden, beautiful skies, etc, etc.

I wasn't like this before, but getting old and raising a child with multiple health issues changed my perspectives. Life is great, you have to enjoy it.