If You Want to Stress Less, Find Your Life Purpose

“The great and glorious masterpiece of man is to live with purpose.” – Michel de Montaigne

Make Finding Your Life Purpose a Priority

Knowing my purpose in life, during the various stages of my career, and especially during major career changes (and yes, there have been several!) has been an extremely effective stress management strategy. Knowing my life purpose provided a clear sense of direction, it helped me clarify my priorities, allowing me to focus on what truly matters and reducing the stress associated with the characteristic uncertainty of life changes and transitions.

My life purpose essentially stayed the same throughout my working life, although the expression of it changed dramatically after each life and/or work change.

Two decades ago, I adopted this quote as my life purpose: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transitioning from working as a medical doctor in a big city hospital to a small country practice to eventually starting my own business, as an introvert, certainly challenged me to figure out exactly what my core values are and to define my life purpose as clearly as I could manage. Doing so made me much more comfortable handling the stress these changes generated, and much more resilient as well.

During these career changes, mostly involuntary due to major health disasters, knowing my life purpose made it much less stressful to make major work and life decisions. My life purpose literally acted as a psychological anchor during these tough and uncertain times.

How does knowing your life purpose affect your working life?

Did you know that a 2017 Survey by LinkedIn of more than 8,000 professionals globally showed that only 30% of them felt that they were living their purpose at work? LinkedIn’s 2017 Workplace Purpose Index found that 73% of respondents said they want a career where they feel their job matters, indicating a high level of interest in finding purpose in their professional lives.

Knowing their purpose would enable them to choose a company to work for with similar values as their own, which would theoretically make for a much less stressful work environment. Or bring their values and purpose into their own business.

Since the pandemic, contrary to expectations, it seems that we are not more motivated to make the best of the life we have left, but less. Instead of feeling less stressed, we are as stressed as we always were, and some of us are more stressed than ever. Initially, we were all determined to change our lives for the better, intoxicated by our reclaimed freedom, until all our bad habits had reasserted themselves a couple of years later and the horror of the pandemic was fast becoming no more than a disturbing memory.

I felt as disillusioned as I used to feel in February when I failed yet again to stick to my New Year’s resolutions.

Having a flexible but well-defined life purpose changed that. To give meaning to our lives two years post-pandemic, investing time and energy to work out what your life purpose is could be a very effective stress management strategy.

As you may know, in another life I was a storyteller, an aspiring writer of far-fetched tales about dragons, so bear with me while I tell you Emma’s story, to illustrate what I mean.

Emma’s Epiphany

Emma Daniels was a high-powered businesswoman, known for her sharp acumen and relentless drive. As the CEO of a successful marketing firm, she had everything she thought she wanted: a thriving career, a luxurious apartment in the heart of the city, and a packed social calendar. Yet, despite her achievements, Emma felt a constant undercurrent of dissatisfaction.

During the pandemic, she lost her best friend, Sophia.

Sophia, intelligent and ambitious, climbed up the corporate ladder with singular determination. Her dream was to make enough money so that she could retire at 40, and she worked all hours to accomplish her dream. Finally, just when her dream was within reach, she died from COVID. All her life she worked herself into the ground and never took a day off to enjoy life – her plan was to start enjoying her life as soon as she was retired.

One evening, after a particularly gruelling day filled with back-to-back meetings and endless emails, Emma found herself unable to sleep. As she stared at the ceiling, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something essential was missing from her life. The constant pressure and the unending race to stay ahead were taking a toll on her health and happiness.

Tossing and turning in bed, Emma asked herself: “What’s the point of it all? What is the purpose of life? What am I doing with my life?”

The next weekend, seeking a momentary escape, Emma decided to visit a nearby park. As she sat on a bench, sipping her coffee and watching children play, she noticed a community group planting trees. Drawn to their enthusiasm and the sense of camaraderie they shared, she approached one of the volunteers, an elderly woman named Margaret.

Margaret explained that they were part of an initiative to create green spaces in urban areas, promoting environmental awareness and community bonding. Intrigued, Emma decided to join them, hoping that the physical activity and change of pace might help clear her mind.

Over the next few weeks, Emma found herself increasingly involved with the community group. She discovered a deep sense of fulfilment in contributing to something larger than herself. The act of planting trees and creating beautiful spaces for others to enjoy brought her a joy she hadn’t felt in years.

As she spent more time with the group, Emma began to reflect on her life and career. She realized that her relentless pursuit of professional success had overshadowed other aspects of her life that she once valued. This newfound sense of purpose in environmental conservation opened her eyes to the possibility of integrating her skills and passions in a more meaningful way.

Inspired by her experiences, Emma decided to pivot her marketing firm towards promoting sustainable businesses and eco-friendly products. She rebranded the company with a focus on environmental responsibility and community engagement. This shift not only aligned with her personal values but also tapped into a growing market trend, positioning her firm as a leader in green marketing.

With her business now reflecting her deeper values, Emma found that her stress levels significantly decreased. She felt a renewed sense of energy and enthusiasm for her work. The pressure to constantly compete and prove herself was replaced by a genuine passion for making a positive impact.

Emma also made more time for herself and her community. She continued to volunteer with the tree-planting group, finding solace and joy in the simple act of giving back. Her relationships with her colleagues and friends improved as she became more present and engaged, shedding the facade of the perpetually busy executive.

A Life Transformed

Emma Daniels’ journey from a stressed, high-powered businesswoman to a fulfilled, purpose-driven leader is a testament to the power of finding and living one’s purpose. By aligning her professional pursuits with her personal values, she not only reduced her stress but also created a more meaningful and satisfying life. Emma’s story is a reminder that true success is not just about achieving professional milestones but also about finding joy and purpose in the journey.

Finding your life purpose can significantly reduce stress by providing direction, increasing resilience, improving emotional agility, enhancing decision-making, facilitating better relationships, increasing engagement, and offering spiritual fulfilment. It creates a strong foundation for coping with life’s challenges and making stress more manageable and less impactful.

Life Purpose and Life Changes

As it happens, ;D I have created, with the much-appreciated input of my horses, an online course to help you do exactly that: the Determine your Life Purpose as you start your Next Chapter e-course.