Purpose Renewed: How to Rediscover Your Life Goals

 

1) Introduction

At some point in our lives, we may find ourselves feeling lost and without a clear sense of purpose. We may feel like we are just going through the motions and lacking direction. This is a common experience, and it can be frustrating and disheartening. However, it is important to remember that finding a sense of purpose and setting goals for ourselves is an ongoing process that requires self-reflection, perseverance, and patience. In this blog post, we will explore some strategies and tips for finding back a sense of purpose and setting meaningful goals in life. Whether you are going through a period of transition or simply feeling unfulfilled, the following insights and tools may help you to reorient yourself and pursue a fulfilling life.

2) Signs you’ve lost sight of your goal

If you have been feeling lost or unsure about the direction of your life, it's possible that you have lost sight of your goals. It's not uncommon for people to get sidetracked by the day-to-day routine and forget what they truly want to achieve. Here are some signs that you may have lost sight of your goal:

1. You feel unfulfilled and dissatisfied with your life.

2. You don't have a clear idea of what you want to achieve in the long-term.

3. You find yourself going through the motions without any real passion or purpose.

4. You're easily distracted by other people's goals and desires, and you find yourself living up to their expectations instead of your own.

5. You're constantly second-guessing yourself and your decisions, and you lack confidence in your abilities.

6. You're not making any progress towards your goals, or you feel like you're stuck in a rut.

If any of these signs sound familiar, it's time to take a step back and re-evaluate your life goals.

3) Redisovering your goals

Rediscovering your goals can be a challenging but rewarding journey. Once you have identified that you have lost sight of your goals, it's time to take action and start the process of rediscovering them. Here are some steps that can help you in this process:

1. Reflect on your past: Look back at your past experiences and try to identify what made you happy and fulfilled. Think about your passions and interests and how you can incorporate them into your goals. Were you for example really good at drawing in your youth, you might consider starting to draw something each weekend.

2. Set new goals: If you feel like you have lost sight of your previous goals, it's okay to set new ones. Take the time to reflect on what you want to achieve and make sure that these goals align with your values and passions. You might find physical health important have had the goal of running 5km but didn’t make it. Reflect then on what stopped you do from doing that and how you can overcome those obstacles.

3. Break your goals down into smaller steps: Once you have identified your goals, break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. This will make the process less overwhelming and help you stay motivated along the way. To take back the example of running, you could divide your goal of running 5 km into 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5km. Like that, you will find more fulfillment in each of your milestones.

4. Create a plan: Develop a plan to achieve your goals. Identify the resources you need and the steps you need to take to get there. Make sure that your plan is realistic and achievable. You could for example set a goal to run 1 more km each week.

5. Take action: The most important step in rediscovering your goals is taking action. Start small and work your way up. Celebrate your successes along the way and learn from your failures. Plan now when you want to start doing your habit this week and don’t forget to celebrate your milestones!

Remember, rediscovering your goals is a process, and it takes time and effort. But with dedication and persistence, you can regain focus and direction in your life. Another thing you might consider is journalling to reflect on yourself on a daily basis. If you want to learn more about this, read my blog post about “A guide to journalling” you can find in the archive on the right of this page.

4) Personal example

I have played a lot of sports during my youth but started to practice it less and less. The last year of my secondary school I started to read personal development books and started to reflect more and be aware of more things I do. I wanted to start running again and started with doing it each Saturday. This was a habit that I kept for a long while but read about the importance of habits. That learned me that it was far better as well for my performance in running as for my mental health to work towards your goal on a daily basis. I started to run 1km each weekday. This was a habit I didn’t need much willpower for and managed to keep it up. Gradually I started to do it more and more and today I run 3km each weekday.

This habit helped me to become more mentally clear throughout the day and felt like I accomplished something.

5) Conclusion

The most important thing I want you to remember is to break down your goals into smaller, manageable steps to make the process less overwhelming and more achievable. If you have lost sight of your goals, it's important to reflect on your past, set new goals, break them down into smaller steps, create a plan, and take action. As the personal example shows, making a small daily habit towards your goal can lead to significant progress and improved mental health.

6) Your next steps

1. Write down your Goals: If you haven’t done it yet, read the third alinea again to write down your new goals. (2 minutes)

2. Plan your Habit: Plan a day in this week to start your habit to reach your new goal. (30 seconds)

3. Stay Connected: Click the “about me” on the right side and hit the Pinterest button to don’t miss my further posts about personal development. It will only take 10 seconds of your time, but the benefits of staying informed and motivated are priceless. (10 seconds)