When we hear the phrase “life purpose,” many of us instinctively think of a job.
We assume it must be something career-related, like being a doctor, an artist, a teacher, or an entrepreneur. Something you can put on a business card. Something that neatly sums up your identity.
But purpose isn’t a job title. And it isn’t something you can only live out if you’ve landed your dream role or turned your passion into a pay cheque.
In truth, purpose is much broader—and much deeper—than that.
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Purpose is About Who You Are, Not Just What You Do
Your purpose isn’t confined to your work, even if you love what you do. It’s about how you show up in the world. It’s expressed through your values, your relationships, the way you move through each day, and the small acts that matter to you.
You can live a deeply purposeful life as a parent, a carer, a volunteer, a community builder, or an everyday presence in someone’s life. You can live your purpose in paid work, unpaid work, creative expression, quiet presence, or public leadership.
Purpose doesn’t always have to be grand. Sometimes, it’s humble and hidden—and no less powerful for it.
The Trouble with Job-Title Thinking
When we tie our purpose to a single role or identity, we risk losing sight of our deeper “why.”
What happens if that job ends? Or if you change careers? Or take time out to care for someone?
Does that mean your purpose disappears?
Of course not.
Tying your identity and sense of meaning too tightly to a role can leave you feeling adrift when life inevitably changes. But when you understand your purpose as a deeper thread running through your life, you become more flexible—and more resilient.
Your Purpose is Already in Motion
Often, people worry they haven’t found their purpose yet—especially if they don’t have a clear vision of what they’re “meant” to do.
But chances are, you’ve already been living parts of your purpose. In the things you care about. In the ways you’ve helped others. In the moments when you’ve felt most alive, most connected, or most true to yourself.
Your purpose may not be one thing. It may not have a name or a title. But that doesn’t make it any less real.
A Soulful Reframing
What if we stopped asking, “What is my purpose?”
And started asking instead:
- What matters deeply to me?
- How do I want to show up in the world?
- What kind of impact do I want to have—whether visible or invisible?
- What legacy do I want to leave in the lives I touch?
These questions invite us to look beyond job titles and toward the essence of who we are becoming.
Want to Explore Your Life Purpose in a More Soulful Way?
If you’re tired of trying to squeeze your life purpose into a job description, the Soulful Path to Life Purpose programme offers a different way forward.
This isn’t about finding the perfect career. It’s about discovering who you are, what matters to you, and how you can live in greater alignment with your truth—whatever your circumstances.
👉 Learn more about the Soulful Path programme here.
Purpose isn’t something out there waiting to be found.
It’s something within you, ready to unfold.
