Like gas in your car, purpose is fuel.
With it, your engine will rev.
Without it, it will stall and sputter.
But finding purpose especially if youve lost it may require reprogramming your life.
Weve assembled 25 ideas to help you get started.
Cole says purpose typically requires partnership.
Theres almost nothing we really want to do that we can do by ourselves, he says.
Because the whales are just too big.
Purpose ideally is not a solo sport.
Its a team sport.
Youve had a book club.
Why not create a purpose club?
… We know that purpose extends lifespan and that connection extends lifespan.
When you combine the two of them, youre in the zone.
It also can be extremely rewarding and beneficial, research finds.
And its not just caring for people.
Studies have found health benefits in people who care for plants, pets or even vehicles.
Commit random acts of kindness
Small gestures can make a big impact.
Almost everybody is happy to get a little bit of help here and there, Cole says.
These are powerfully rewarding experiences in the human brain having another human being say: Youve helped me.
Youve reduced my suffering.
Youve helped make the world a better place.
Find your gift
If you want to find your purpose, find your talent.
Its not just about picking something thats meaningful to you.
Pursuing purpose … is inherently outward-focused and generous, Serrano notes.
One of the things I know many older adults have an abundance of is time.
Availability is the best ability.
Mind the gaps
For more than 20 years, Todd Kashdan has been studying curiosity.
A professor of psychology at George Mason University and author ofCurious?
Use external curiosity to ask yourself, What does the world need?
Find the gap, Kashdan suggests.
And that will help you determine what your purpose should be.
