Most people in life wish to find meaning and purpose within it. There’s something magical about knowing what you’re destined to do or at least having a firm grasp of your ambitions. You can tell when someone is driven by that passion, and it lights a different kind of fire in them. It’s admirable, and it’s something to strive for.
But finding your purpose isn’t always easy, and, admittedly, the concept gets a little over-romanticized. When you know that purpose is often more practical than spiritual and that it’s hard to learn, why bother? Well, as it turns out, having that meaning can transform your whole life! Here are nine benefits of living a life with purpose.
1. It Keeps You Motivated
A purpose is a pure form of actual, direct motivation. It gives you a reason to get up every day and provides a noble cause to work towards. You have a sense of direction and a reason for living and working. You’re aware of your life’s goals and are sure of your mission, and your strength comes from within.
While both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation can be beneficial, you’ll typically need more of the latter. This is why purpose is so valuable, as it creates positive intrinsic motivation. This kind of motivation is generated internally and happens independently of external forces. Research has found that intrinsic motivation has a positive effect on performance, which will be great for your purpose!
This outcome is likely because:
· It Ignores The Hate
There will be naysayers and critics in your life who might try to bring you down. Those whose motivation is purely external will find this negative feedback to be severely detrimental. They’ll lose their source of extrinsic drive and won’t have anything internal to back it up. Meanwhile, intrinsic motivation allows you to keep going because you want to keep going and because you’re fulfilled in your actions.
· It’s Self-Sustaining
You want motivation to stay strong and constant, not fizzle out as you lose positive thinking. Studies have found that extrinsic motivation can damage levels of intrinsic motivation. On the other hand, intrinsic motivation is self-sustaining and predicts success and performance in the long term!
· It Feeds More Purpose
The firmer your purpose, the stronger your motivation. The stronger your cause, the more you move towards your objective. The more productivity you see towards your goal, the more your inspiration grows! It’s a powerful and incredible cycle, and it’s research-backed, too!
2. It Builds Resilience
Resilience is emotional strength. It refers to the ability to pick yourself back up after difficult times. In other words, it’s a measure of your ability to bounce back. This trait is incredibly useful in life and has significantly positive effects on your progress and success.
When you have a purpose, you’re able to build up that emotional strength. You know what your purpose is and your determination to achieve it keeps you moving. You’re not cowed by the struggles you face, and you’re willing to learn from your mistakes. Deep down, you know that what you face is all crucial to your movement towards that purpose.
Resilience will also feed further into your purpose. It makes you less likely to give up and more likely to achieve success. Your positive thinking will improve, and you’ll be more sure of that purpose. Nothing will be able to steer you from it – and then that’ll give you more resilience! It’s the kind of positive cycle that’s so brilliant to have in your journey.
3. It’s A Balm For Hard Times
Hard times aren’t avoidable. No matter what you do, you will experience difficulties and challenges at some point in your life. There’s no way to escape this inevitability, but there are ways to prepare to be resilient through them. A strong sense of purpose can help you, as it:
- Provides guidance and keep you reminded of goals and hope, so you’re more determined to persevere
- Offers comfort and support as you can remember its importance
- Creates a system that helps you to slowly pick yourself back up and put pieces back together
- Motivates you by reminding you of those who will be benefited or be proud of your purpose and journey
- Reminds you of the value and importance of your life and its purpose
- Forms a shining light and beacon that develops positive thinking in dark times
4. It Keeps You Focused
When you’re unsure what you want to do in life, it can be tough to stick to one thing. You’ll drift from place to place, wondering which spot is “yours.” When you have a purpose, you don’t need to drift. You know what you want, and you hone in on it with razor-sharp focus. You don’t let yourself get distracted or swayed, and you direct your best energy to your best desires.
This isn’t to say that you can’t switch things up or re-evaluate your goals. It’s also not to say that purpose can’t ever face an alteration. Instead, it means that you’ll have a better ability to focus on the ideals you set out to achieve. This focus will also help you to maintain an updated and relevant concept of your purpose. You won’t lose sight of what matters to you and will grow and change as needed.
5. It’s Good For Your Health
The concept of having a purpose seems to be purely spiritual. In reality, though, it’s excellent for your mental and physical health, too! When you live a life with purpose, there are some highly tangible benefits that you’ll enjoy, including:
· Improved Physicality
You’re likely to enjoy better physical function if you have a life purpose, says research. This is especially true in your older years! You’ll have better muscular strength and walking speed, among other positive effects.
· Better Decisions
At the end of the day, overall health can often be dictated by personal lifestyle choices. If you have a purpose in life, research indicates you’re likely to make better decisions regarding lifestyle and health.
· Longer Life
Studies say you may pass away at a younger age if you don’t have a purpose in life, especially heart problems. In fact, the lack of purpose can have more of an effect on longevity than exercise, drinking, and even smoking!
So even if you’re not interested in the psychological benefits of a purpose, the physical ones make it worth it. An intention is about something deep-rooted and essential to you and that matters to your physical body.
6. It Builds Your Confidence
Confidence is an essential deciding factor in your life. While no one wants to be arrogant, there’s a lot to be said about being secure in your capabilities. Knowing that you’re capable of doing many things and have the strength to overcome challenges is incredibly transformative in life.
A purpose in life gives you direction, and with that comes confidence. You know who you are, where you’re going, what you want, and what you can become. This knowledge fills you with a renewed security and assuredness that will serve you well as you move forward to achieve your goals.
7. It Makes Life An Adventure
Life is a beautiful adventure, but not everyone sees it that way! Admittedly, it can be tough to view your life as something more significant than a stretch of time. But those with purpose naturally feel that their world is impactful and interesting. With intention, life will feel like an adventure because:
- You’re naturally more excited to keep moving forward so you can fulfill your purpose.
- Life feels less dull as you’re less constricted by typical routines. Your focus is on a purpose that must grow.
- You come alive with the meaning you bring into the world, making you happier, more eager, and more passionate.
- You recognize that each step in your purpose is part of a grander, more extensive journey. It feels more like an epic quest!
8. It Lets You Lead With Your Values
Few people have a solid grasp of their values. There are many situations where one may be tempted to compromise on them or go back on them. When you have a purpose, you don’t feel swayed by such temptation. This is because your purpose is always directly in line with your values.
There’s a significant amount of integrity involved with having a purpose. It means seeing what you believe in and following your heart to it. If you have a purpose, you’ll want to be true to its message. This means that, no matter what, your positive values will stay with you. You’ll also be able to connect more authentically with others who share those values. You might even work with them in cooperation!
9. It Helps You Feel Fulfilled
When you live life with purpose, you have high levels of positive thinking. You feel content with your life, the only source of dissatisfaction stemming from difficulties in your purpose. You’re less likely to feel sad and can enjoy a lot of fulfillment as you move through life. This is because when you have a purpose, you:
- Know that you add value in some way to the world can fill you with contentment and pride
- Have a clear sense of direction that prevents you from feeling lost, hopeless, and confused
- Don’t bother to participate in negativity and spend your time on positive endeavors for your purpose
- Feel that you are making good use of your time, capabilities, and opportunities
- Remember the innate value and meaning of your life
- Are confident in the direction that you’re going, guided by the purpose in your life
- Will someday (or maybe already have) made someone’s life or experienced better
Final Thoughts On Some Benefits Of Living A Life With Purpose
A life lived with purpose is filled with motivation, fulfillment, focus, confidence, resilience, adventure, and value. It’s a life that helps you stay on track, keeps your chin up in tough times, and fills you with positive traits. The fact that it also has excellent effects on physical wellbeing is just the icing on the cake!
Not sure how to live a life with purpose, or not sure if you ever will? Don’t worry – you don’t have to rush to find it! Spending time learning about yourself and following your heart will eventually lead you to that meaning you crave.
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