Dealing With Purpose Anxiety

This reflection invites you to take the pressure off “finding your purpose” and instead follow your curiosity.
By exploring what sparks your interest, you can uncover meaningful ways to engage with life without the heavy expectation of needing to change the world. This is about shifting from striving to simply being; allowing your natural curiosity to guide the way.

WHY THIS EXERCISE

Many of us wrestle with big, existential questions:

• What is my purpose?

• Why am I here?

• What am I meant to do with my life?

Our culture often pressures us to find and fulfil a grand, world-changing purpose as if our worth depends on it. But what if there were a gentler way?

Inspired by author Elizabeth Gilbert, this reflection invites you to shift from chasing purpose to simply following your curiosity.

As Gilbert puts it::

“Maybe the answer isn’t ‘Find your purpose.’ Maybe it’s: ‘Follow your curiosity’.”

You don’t need to earn your place in the world by achieving or striving.
You already deserve to be here.

EXERCISE FLOW

This practice unfolds in three parts to help you reconnect with what naturally draws your attention:

1. Rethink Purpose – Explore how “purpose” can take many forms and reflect on the roles you currently inhabit.

2. Follow Your Curiosity – Notice the ideas, topics, and activities that spark interest and invite you to explore.

3. Weave Curiosity into Your Life – Consider small, meaningful ways to bring these sparks into your daily routines.

You can work through these steps in whatever way feels right for you.

DETAILED PROMPTS

Step 1. Rethinking Purpose

Elizabeth Gilbert observes that even people with clear callings—writers, doctors, activists—sometimes feel overwhelmed by the pressure to do enough. This striving often comes from a belief that we must earn our existence through achievement. But you don’t need to. You’re already worthy.

Gilbert suggests four distinct roles we may play in life:

• Job – Work you do to earn money. It doesn’t need to fulfil you; you just do what’s needed and no more.

• Career – Work you’re passionate about and wish to grow in, where going above and beyond feels energising.

• Hobby – Something you enjoy for its own sake, without pressure to monetise or excel.

• Calling – Something you feel drawn to, regardless of outcomes or recognition.

Reflect on these questions:

• Which categories do your current activities fit into?

• Are you trying to turn every hobby into a hustle?

• Are you giving yourself permission to enjoy things for their own sake?

• Are you treating your job like a career by overextending?
  

Step 2. Follow Your Curiosity

Ask yourself:

• What have I been curious about lately?

• What topics, activities, or ideas quietly call to me?

• Is there something I’ve always wanted to try but never allowed myself to?

Let yourself explore freely without demanding a clear destination.

Step 3. Weave Curiosity Into Your Life

Once you’ve identified what excites you, think about how it might fit into your world:

• Could it become a new hobby?

• Might it enrich your current job or grow into a career path?

• Could you explore it as a side project or weekend experiment?

You don’t need to make big changes. Start small and take one simple step this week to invite more curiosity into your life.

FINAL THOUGHT

You don’t need a world-changing purpose to matter.

You’re allowed to follow quiet sparks. To explore without expecting them to turn into something bigger. To live a meaningful life simply because it’s yours.

So, what are you curious about?