One of the most important days in life is when you discover your “why”. Think of your “why” as your purpose, your passion, and/or that specific goal you want to accomplish in life. Your “why” is your reason for being here, and many decisions you make will propel you to reach this achievement.
Finding your “why” isn’t easy, especially if you don’t have a clue what your purpose is from childhood through adulthood. Not everyone knows from age six that they want to be a doctor and will actually study medicine and become a healthcare provider someday. For some of us—most of us—finding your “why” requires self-discovery.
For the majority of people, self-discovery comes to fruition with an older, more experienced age. Generally speaking, by the time you graduate high school, enter or finish college, and begin working in the real world, you’ll come to terms with who you are and what’s most important to you. It’s believed that by the time you turn thirty, you’re more or less unchangeable. Of course, this isn’t guaranteed for everyone, but most of us creeping up to that thirty year milestone are fairly set in our ways.
This is why it’s crucial to find your “why” in your twenties. Long before you turn thirty, you want to have a strong grasp of who you are and what your purpose is. Is your passion raising a family? Teaching school kids? Traveling the world? Writing a book? Proving a scientific theory? Only you know what your passion is, and it’s your responsibility to make that passion your life purpose. You own your fate, and therefore bring your dreams into reality.
So, how do you find your “why”? Great question. Like many obstacles we face, finding your “why” doesn’t come with a simple recipe. Everyone discovers their life purpose differently, but more often than not it’s buried deep within. Your heart may already yearn to fulfill a goal you may not be quite aware of yet. This is why self-discovery is so critical. You have to do some soul-searching and really ask yourself this challenging question: what is my “why”?
[clickToTweet tweet=”5 Reasons to Find Your ‘Why’ In Your Twenties (and How To Do It)” quote=”5 Reasons to Find Your ‘Why’ In Your Twenties (and How To Do It)”]
At GenTwenty, we want to make the process easier for you. Here are five reasons to find your “why” and how to do it:
1. Remember to make happiness a priority.
Happiness is absolutely essential to live a fulfilling life. No matter what job you have, where you live, who makes up your family, or what age you are, you should always make happiness a number one priority.
In order to live a life of purpose, you must enjoy it! Being happy about the work you do and treasuring that feeling even during your mundane routine will make your “why” worth it. Your work should make you feel joy, pride, and ultimately drive your ambition. If you’re happy with your life purpose during your twenties, that feeling is bound to carry with you from here on out!
2. Finding your “why” will make you come alive.
This may seem inherent, but it’s entirely true. If you’re passionate about your job or a hobby you aim to turn into a business, you will be inspired, ambitious, and driven. Don’t settle for a job that doesn’t inspire you. What’s the point? Instead, put everything you have into a job or potential profession that makes you feel alive.
This feeling is your “why”.
This inspired, amazing, ambitious zap of passion is the purpose you’re in search of. Don’t let it escape or fizzle out. Follow it through.
3. Determine your strengths.
Knowing what you’re good at is another great way to find your why. Knowing what you’re strong at will undoubtedly help you amplify your career. If crunching numbers comes naturally to you, perhaps you belong in a field like accounting. If words speak to you, maybe you’re better off working as a journalist or writer. Only you know what strengths you have. See them through. By knowing your strengths, you’re aware of the value you can bring to a goal you have and this will help you discover your purpose.
4. Uncover your priorities.
Knowing what’s most important to you in life can help you discover your “why”. By listing out all of the things you cherish, it will become plainly obvious what you need to pay most attention to.
If having children is a top priority, do your best to make this happen. If owning your own business is critical, take every measure to turn this dream into reality. You need to see your priorities become successes. This success is your goal, and ultimately your “why”. Let your priorities guide you.
[clickToTweet tweet=”You need to see your priorities become successes. ” quote=”You need to see your priorities become successes. “]
5. Be true to who you are.
The worst thing you can do is chase dreams that aren’t yours. Remember, your life purpose is your passion. Don’t be persuaded by what others believe is best. Your life is yours and yours alone. Make finding your “why” about what you want. Allow your true colors to shine through and guide you on the best path for you.
We all know what’s realistic and what’s not for ourselves. Take ownership of those feelings and make them your mantra to live by. Being true to who you are is bound to help you discover your “why”.
[clickToTweet tweet=”The worst thing you can do is chase dreams that aren’t yours.” quote=”The worst thing you can do is chase dreams that aren’t yours.”]
Finding your “why”, your purpose, your life passions, well, it isn’t easy. Some of us know what we’re meant to do from a very young age, while others have to experiment to find the right fit. Your purpose may be a job, a duty, a title, or even a responsibility. If discovering what you’re meant to do seems daunting, don’t fear. We all find it a bit intimidating at first to find our life purpose. It isn’t easy, but it is worth it.
Find your passions. Discover your goals. Make your dreams reality. Don’t ever stop, because the challenging, happy, wonderful journey that is life is bound to bring you happiness and meaning in the end.
At GenTwenty, we believe in you. Now it’s time you believe in yourself, too!
About the Author
Rachael is a University of Southern Maine graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Sociology. She remotely works full-time as a Senior Content Marketing Specialist for Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. In her leisure time, Rachael enjoys traveling with her husband, finding the next Netflix series to binge, and taking too many photos of her dogs Jax and Kai. Rachael is obsessed with chapstick, favors the Oxford comma, and is a proud Mainer. You'll likely find her exploring New England + beyond.