What is Your Purpose?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, purpose is defined as why one does something or why something exists. We are all born with a purpose. That purpose is inextricably tied to our deepest values and our unique gifts and talents. And knowing what our purpose is and having that align with what we do in our day-to-day is key to achieving fulfillment and joy.

Many people outside of the medical field assume that being a physician is, in and of itself, a purpose. Yet, that is simply how we choose to live out our purpose. Our true purpose might be something more like “to be an advocate for healthy living” or “to be a positive force in moments of despair” or “to be a long-life learner”, etc. True purpose is less about what we do and more about what we are and can be. At the end of the day, there are many ways we can do our purpose. As physicians, we have chosen to do doctoring to live out our purpose. But just like in any other profession, the doing can become burdensome if misaligned with our purpose. This misalignment can play a big part in moral injury and burnout. When our daily doing does not align with what or how we see ourselves as being, there is psycho-emotional strain. When we are not true to ourselves, we experience internal conflict. And this can lead to a spiral of guilt and shame.

So, what can we do to remedy this? We need to take the time to discover ourselves and reconnect with our purpose. One way to begin to do this is to first define what our top five core values are. Core values are the beliefs that make us who we are. Without them, we would not be us. But identifying our top 5 core values can be challenging. In fact, the process can be painstakingly difficult and heart wrenching. But if you stick with it and really dig deep, the outcome is a beautiful roadmap for your life. A great way to begin is to think back and visualize yourself as a young child. What was important to you? What were you like? What did you stand for? Notice any patterns. It is in these patterns that you will get a glimpse of your core values. Once you have these figured out, making decisions amid challenge and chaos becomes significantly simplified. Why? Because knowing what is most important to you provides a guiding light. It is a compass for your life. And as you walk your path more confidently, your reason for being also becomes clearer.

If you would like to discover what your top 5 core values are, contact me and I will send you a resource that will guide you in how to do that. You can find my contact information at www.marpejourney.com.