Discovering your unique, personal "why"

Have you clearly identified your "why"?

As we get ready to launch into 2017 it's important for us to understand our purpose in life.

Recently, I've been thinking about ways to help people understand their unique purpose and mission in life. My sons and I watched Simon Sinek's much-watched TED talk on why discovering the why is more important than the how or the what.

Here's a set of questions that might help you as you wrestle with your unique purpose. Why did God put you here? What unique contribution are you supposed to make? Perhaps these sets of questions will help you understand your "why."

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Board of director questions: 

Suppose you were on the board of directors of a large non-profit organization. You are helping the board to decide what problem to solve next. What gets you fired up? What is it that makes you pound the table and say, "That has to change"? If you could pick one problem in the world to impact, which one would it be? What would you fix that is broken in the world? What makes you come alive? 

You are the life coach questions: 

You've been asked to give a friend some advice about what to do next. You are going to take your friend out to coffee or lunch and encourage him/her to leverage his/her strengths. That friend you are going to counsel is you! What strengths, gifts, talents and abilities do you see in you? What are a few things you’ve always been good at? Where do you add the greatest value? Now, tell your friend what do you think his/her next step should be.

I-lost-track-of-the-time questions: 

Think back to one of your happiest moments in life - maybe you were doing something that caused you to lose track of time. Where were you? What were you doing? Why did you feel so much joy, peace, and contentment? (Activities, people, events, hobbies, projects, etc.) What were your favorite things to do in the past? What about now? What makes you smile?

Leaving a Legacy questions: 

If you were to die one year from today, what would you want to make sure you had accomplished and how would you want to be remembered? What is your legacy going to be? What are the stories people are going to tell when you’re gone? What is your obituary going to say? Is there anything to say at all? If not, what would you like it to say? What would you regret not fully doing, being or having in your life? How will you measure your life?

It's-A-Wonderful-Life questions: 

You are now 90 years old, sitting on a rocking chair outside your porch; you can feel the spring breeze gently brushing against your face. You are blissful and happy, and are pleased with the wonderful life you’ve been blessed with. Looking back at your life and all that you’ve achieved and acquired, all the relationships you’ve developed; what matters to you most? What has made you feel great about yourself?