When you’re happy, that has a positive impact on your health, but having a purpose and direction in life can raise your satisfaction to a whole new level.
The National Institute on Aging funded a study to gauge the positive and negative emotions of more than 6,000 people. Participants were asked to agree or disagree with certain statements, such as: “Some people wander aimlessly through life, but I am not one of them.”
Fourteen years later, those who had reported having a sense of purpose and direction in life were more likely to be alive than the individuals who had not reported they had a purpose in life.
The researchers defined purpose as anything that provided an overarching aim and direction in the individual’s daily life. Having a purpose could be as simple as taking care of a family member or contributing to a cause, such as reducing the amount of plastic waste that goes into the ocean.
Creativity and self-expression were also regarded as suitable elements of a person’s purpose in life. Although the researchers couldn’t identify how a life purpose might benefit the person’s health, they theorized that a sense of purpose protects individuals against the harmful effects of stress.
Want to help others deepen their sense of purpose?
If you’re naturally inclined to help others around you, that may inspire you to help others identify and broaden their sense of purpose. If this is something that calls to you, here are four ways you can have such an effect on the people in your life.
1. Encourage other people’s strengths
Many folks have a purpose sitting right under their nose, but they don’t see it. Whenever you get the chance, let people know what you think their strengths are.
You might have a friend who happens to be an amazing artist but believes he or she isn’t talented. Or someone you know might be passionate about a social cause, but doesn’t think there’s a way to make a difference.
Certain people don’t perceive their own strengths. Though one shouldn’t worry about what others think of one’s work, having a purpose in life is directly tied to knowing your work has an impact on others.
Acknowledging people for the impact they’re making provides the necessary feedback they need to recognize their efforts have made a difference after all.
2. If you’re a coach, don’t stop learning
If you’re a personal coach or even a business coach, you’re constantly supporting your clients on a psychological level. You’ve probably picked up various strategies, methods, and systems throughout your career.
However, you should never stop trying to learn new strategies and processes. You’re probably good at motivating clients to achieve short-term and possibly even long-term goals.
Take your clients to a higher level by helping them find their purpose and meaning in life. If you’re not sure how to do that, find a structured course that may show you how.
One program you can take is the master class offered by Positive Psychology. It’s a course that teaches coaches how to help their clients find meaning and discover their values in life.
Values give people their sense of direction. Having a purpose in life makes it easier to handle the setbacks that happen to all of us. Successful entrepreneurs who have a strong vision see their goals through, and don’t allow adversity to stop them.
If your clients haven’t reached that level yet, commit yourself to taking them there. Simple encouragement isn’t enough to change a client’s mindset; you need to know exactly how to appeal to the person’s desires, and move him or her beyond perceived limitations.
3. Create your purpose first
By creating your purpose, you place yourself in a position to lead by example. Are your friends and family directionless, and waiting for purpose to hit them over the head?
If so, they need to know purpose can be created with a simple spark of passion. Make sure to establish your purpose first, however, so your coaching will hold more authority.
4. Reassure people that their purpose can change
Some people have one purpose in life and nothing more. For instance, one might say Ellen DeGeneres’s purpose is to make people laugh. She does that in a variety of ways, but comedy is clearly her contribution to the world.
Other people, such as Richard Branson, launch a wide array of businesses to make a difference in the world. Still others pick up projects and interests that aren’t related: the person might be a caregiver for five years, write a book about horses, and then build a craft business.
Purpose before goals
Achieving a random goal won’t make a direct impact on your life or the world. Living your purpose will.
Goals make an impact only when they’re chosen as part of a person’s life purpose. In today’s goal-oriented society, meaningful goals depend on your ability to discover your purpose.