Last week, we talked about how to win and we looked into the role of taking responsibility as an indispensable characteristic we need to possess to succeed in life. The other ingredient is finding our purpose. Unless we do, we will ultimately fail.

One of the best books that succinctly talks about life’s purpose is Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life”. It goes beyond the common belief that to find purpose is to focus on ourselves.

The purpose of life is far greater than our own personal fulfilment, our peace of mind, even our own happiness. It’s far greater than our family, our career, or even our wildest dreams and ambitions.

According to Warren, many people are not able to find the answer to the question “what is my life’s purpose?” because they typically begin at the wrong starting point, the self.

We usually ask self-centered questions like What do I want to be? What should I do with my life? What are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for my future?

These questions are not wrong in themselves. However, unless we assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless. And unless we find our purpose through the eyes of God, we will fall short of what we are actually made for.

Hence, instead of starting with ourselves, we can start discovering what God made us for. We are made by God and for God and until we understand this, life will never make sense.

When I was younger, I once use God for my own self-actualization. It only worked out to an extent. Because I can never use God for my own purpose but I should find what his purpose is to my life.

To truly win in life, we need to find the purpose for which God created us. It is not enough to be successful. So many successful people abound in the world but they are not fulfilling their life’s purpose, that is becoming what God created them to be.

We can begin to speculate by focusing on ourselves and understanding ourselves. That is what I did? But I ended up searching and hungry for more answers beyond what I discovered within.

An alternative is to discern what is revealed about us through God. We only fully understand an invention if we ask the inventor or read its manual. And simply, we did not create ourselves that is why we cannot answer fully questions about ourselves and our purpose. Only God can!

Hence, if you want to truly win, discover your purpose and find it in God.

P.S. For consultation, you can contact me at 09122506898 or emailkitbalane@boholchild.com.

By Kit Nemenzo Balane