In the simplest terms, purpose is the reason someone or something exists, a reason for being.
When my husband, John, and I got married, our friend Angela gave us the most peculiar gift: a little brown plastic square with a small, raised edge.
"It's a kitchen tool," she beamed proudly, "and one of the best gifts I've ever been given."
We had no clue what it was, how to use it, or why Angela would choose to gift it to us over anything else. To her, it was the best possible gift she could give a young couple starting their home. To me and John, it was just a plastic square.
Finally, I asked Angela what exactly it was for. She explained that this little brown square was actually an essential tool for cleaning pots, pans, and dishes in the kitchen. That raised edge was created to get those tough-to-clean remnants off your dishes. More than a decade later, I still have it. It's become an essential part of my kitchen, so much so that it sits on the counter next to the sink (and I hate leaving stuff on the counter!). The mac & cheese that just won't let go, that baked-on lasagna on the edge of the dish, the overcooked rice on the bottom of the pot—this tool takes care of it all.
Had I never asked Angela about it, I would've never known. It likely would have remained forgotten in the back of a drawer. Every time I use it (and let's be real, I use it a lot!), I think about how glad I am that I asked Angela what it was for. In other words, I'm so glad I asked why it existed. Had I not, I would have never used it. I would've overlooked it completely all because I didn't understand its purpose.
It's a small example with big implications for us in a conversation about purpose. We run a similar risk here! We all have a purpose. We all have a reason to exist in this world. We have a reason for being. For those of us who don't know our purpose, it doesn't mean we don't have one. It just means we haven't discovered it yet. But if we don't put in the work to actually figure it out—to know it and live it—then we run the risk of seeing all our greatest gifts, opportunities, and talents shoved in the back of a kitchen junk drawer overlooked and not put to use.
Sure, it's easier to think and talk about why an object exists, like a toothbrush, a car, a candle, a pen, a home, or even a mysterious kitchen tool. To define why we exist is a bigger challenge. Yes, the definition for purpose is simple, but for many of us, discovering and defining our reason for being in the world is far more complicated.
If that feels like a big, weighty thought to you, trust me, you're not alone. That's because purpose is hard! While knowing and aligning and living your purpose will require you to dig deep and be vulnerable, I promise it will be so worth it.
Ready to reduce stress and live out of intention? Get your copy of The Strength of Purpose: A Guide to Knowing and Living Your Reason for Being and the accompanying Handbook: The Strength of Purpose Handbook: A Guide for Crafting Purpose, Journaling Progress and Setting Goals To Live Your Reason for Being.
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