The Day You Find Out Why - Your Life's Purpose

Have you ever asked yourself, “What is the meaning of life?” or “Why am I here?”

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in a person’s life are the day they’re born and the day they find out why.”

Last year, I sat down to write my first book. It was supposed to be about career development, but something unexpected happened. The book started writing itself. Along the way, I developed a goal-setting method called WISE goals, created to help people ensure their goals align with their personality. What I didn’t realize then was that this idea reached much deeper than career development.

In the 20 months since finishing the book, I have applied what I wrote to my own life and tested it with dozens of others. The results have been mind-blowing.

Through this process, three truths have become clear:

1. Everyone is born with a “why.” God gives this to us, and it is our responsibility to uncover it.

2. Purpose is not about chasing success. It is about aligning your life with God’s divine design.

3. Many people do not lack purpose. They simply believe myths that keep them from recognizing it.

Below are 10 myths about purpose that I have uncovered in the past two years. Understanding these can help you discover God’s purpose for your life and begin living it fully.

Myth #1: You have to create your purpose

Truth: God gives each of us a unique purpose before we are born. He already knows the plans He has for you. Your job is to discover, not invent, them.

Reflection: Where are you trying to force something to happen instead of uncovering what God has already placed within you?

Myth #2: Purpose is about personal success

Truth: Success can flow from purpose, but they are not the same. Purpose glorifies God and blesses others, even if no one notices. It is measured by obedience, not applause.

Reflection: Do your goals glorify God and serve others, or are they designed to build your own comfort or status?

Myth #3: Purpose only applies to big, world-changing callings

Truth: Purpose is not about scale but significance. Raising children, serving customers, or caring for others may seem ordinary, yet these acts can carry eternal weight. God works through quiet faithfulness as much as public influence.

Reflection: What small, faithful acts in your life might have more eternal impact than you realize?

Myth #4: Your purpose changes with the seasons of your life

Truth: Your purpose does not change, but your understanding of it deepens over time. As you grow in faith and maturity, God reveals more of the same calling He placed in you from the beginning.

Reflection: How is God using this season to show you more of the purpose He placed in you?

Myth #5: Purpose always feels comfortable

Truth: God often uses discomfort to build strength, humility, and dependence on Him. When we pray for patience, He gives us opportunities to practice it. When we pray for strength, He places us in situations that stretch us. Purpose challenges us so we can grow into who we are meant to be.

Reflection: How might God be using your current challenges to prepare you for the next stage of your purpose?

Myth #6: You can fulfill your purpose alone

Truth: Purpose is refined through community. We were created to live in connection with others. Just as the body has many parts, members of the Church support one another as mentors, accountability partners, and encouragers. Together, we can achieve more than we ever could alone.

Reflection: Who has God placed around you to help refine, challenge, or encourage you as you walk in His purpose? Are you letting them?

Myth #7: Your career defines your purpose

Truth: Your job can express your purpose, but it does not define it. Purpose is about how you live, not what title you hold. Every environment becomes meaningful when your “why” is clear.

Reflection: How can you bring more of your God-given purpose into your everyday work, regardless of your title or paycheck?

Myth #8: You have missed your purpose if you started late or took detours

Truth: God’s timing is perfect. Nothing you do goes to waste. Every delay and mistake helps shape the maturity and wisdom you will need. You are not behind. You are being prepared for something marvelous.

Reflection: How might your past mistakes or detours be preparation for the purpose God planned for you all along?

Myth #9: You will discover your full purpose all at once

Truth: Purpose is revealed in stages. Each act of obedience uncovers a new step on your journey. Discovering your purpose is a lifelong pursuit, not a single moment of revelation.

Reflection: How can you stay faithful in this season, trusting that God reveals your purpose step by step in His perfect timing?

Myth #10: Purpose only guides your actions

Truth: When you understand God’s purpose for you, it transforms your thinking. Your thoughts, habits, and decisions begin to align with it. Life does not necessarily get easier, but it becomes clearer. The next steps appear because your spirit and mind move in the same direction.

Reflection: Are your thoughts and imagination aligned with the purpose God has spoken over your life?

Get your copy of Success Unleashed from Amazon or Kindle

After writing Success Unleashed, I applied the principles of WISE goals to my own life. The results were incredible. I wrote five goals in different areas of my life and found a common thread running through all of them. That thread revealed the purpose God gave me. By meditating on these goals regularly and sharing them with others, I not only reprogrammed my subconscious mind but also built accountability and support. New doors began opening that aligned perfectly with where God wanted me to be.

Through this process, I discovered that:

My purpose is to uplift others, break chains, build strength, and ignite authenticity. I want to leave behind lives that are more resilient, joyful, and faithful because of my influence.

Imagine being able to write your own purpose statement that clearly. Your purpose is already within you. It simply needs to be uncovered. God will reveal it through consistent obedience, reflection, and clarity. The more you understand the “why” behind your goals, the closer you will get to realizing God’s purpose for your life. As your understanding deepens, your path becomes clearer, and you will love the outcome.

What is WISE Goalsetting?

Have you ever made a goal so big that it felt impossible to achieve? That kind of goal is your “impossible goal.” But what if it is not impossible at all?

Before diving in, let’s compare WISE goals to other popular goal-setting methods.

SMART goals are great for achieving measurable tasks, but they require the goal to be specific, achievable, and time-bound. WISE goals often feel impossible and may not fit within a set timeframe.

OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) work well in business because they help define measurable progress. WISE goals, however, are too large to fit into such a framework.

Vision boards help you visualize success, but what if your purpose involves doing something that has never been done before?

Journaling reinforces focus but lacks built-in accountability.

BHAGs (Big Hairy Audacious Goals), made famous by Jim Collins, are excellent starting points. WISE goals take them further by helping you uncover the divine purpose behind them.

You can think of WISE goals as a blend of BHAGs, vision boards, journaling, meditation, and accountability. The acronym makes it easy to remember:

W – Why is this your goal in the first place?

I – Imagine your life having already attained this goal.

S – Specify every detail and engage all your senses.

E – Evangelize this goal by sharing it with others.

WISE goals help you understand the foundation of what you are aiming for. You may have to rewrite your goals several times before they truly align with your deeper “why.” As you create WISE goals in different areas of life—career, relationships, faith, health, education, recreation—you will begin to notice a thread connecting them all. That thread is your life’s purpose, given by God.

God created you with something amazing in mind. It does not matter if you are 15 or 90. If you are still breathing, God can use you. You do not have to chase your purpose. You simply have to walk in it, one WISE decision at a time. Every goal, conversation, and act of faith is part of the thread that will eventually reveal the full picture of your life.

What if your purpose is simply waiting to be lived? Start with one WISE goal, and let God reveal the rest.