How to know if you’ve found your Purpose (+ lessons from leading thinkers)
Have you nailed your purpose?
Here are some simple questions and methodologies from some experts (and me):
- You may need courage,
- You should be slightly fearful and excited.
- Your younger self would be proud of you. And those that love you certainly are.
- Whilst getting out of vc bed and facing your goals each day, it’s made easier by the bigger purpose you’re driving for.
- when you’re doing your work, or in conversation with people, you feel your purpose coming out in your actions in your words, and you may even be repeating it out loud to people. It’s Fire!
🧘 Jay Shetty on Purpose
- Purpose as inner alignment rooted in ancient wisdom: Drawing from Vedic teachings and his time as a monk, Shetty emphasises that purpose arises from self-awareness, dharma (service), and mindful intention, not external success or status.
- Service over self-interest: He argues that true fulfilment comes from using your gifts in the service of others—purpose isn’t profit, it’s contribution.
- Daily discipline as compass: Mindfulness, journaling, meditation, thoughtful routine—these are the tools to stay aligned and discover your purpose in each moment .
- Speak to your past and future selves: In his recent Princeton Class Day speech, Shetty challenged graduates to craft lives that make their younger self proud and their future self grateful—anchoring purpose in meaningful work rather than external validation.
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🧭 Simon Sinek on Purpose
- “Start With Why” is the foundation: At the core of his Golden Circle, Sinek places Why—the belief or cause—before How and What. Purpose isn’t what you do—it’s why you do it.
- Purpose must be authentic, not rationalised: He warns against reducing purpose to merely “driving the economy” or pleasing stakeholders—those are just rationalisations, not noble purpose .
- Crafting a clear, actionable Why statement: Sinek offers tools for individuals and teams to identify patterns in their stories and articulate purpose in a succinct format, like: “To ____, so ____.” This turns abstract values into a real, communicable mission.
- Purpose anchors culture and trust: He argues that when organisations and leaders start with why, they inspire loyalty, creativity, and resilience—not just compliance.
✍️ Clive Burcham on Purpose
- Purpose as transformation, not prescription: Purpose is rarely handed to you at birth—it’s cultivated. Like wrinkles, it develops over time. Some discover it at 16, others at 53. It’s the ongoing journey of uncovering what lights you up and using that flame to connect with others.
- Anchored in contribution: For me, purpose comes from a deep desire to make a difference—to be a contribution. This seed was planted early, after my father’s passing at age 8, but has grown and evolved through decades of entrepreneurial work with creative leaders around the world.
Four gateways to purpose: I’ve seen purpose emerge consistently through four lenses:
- Problem – The itch you can’t stop scratching.
- Passion – Unlocking hidden potential.
- Pain – Transforming trauma into contribution.
- Planet – Responding to a global or social calling.
Purpose must be reframed as you grow: As we live longer, work later, and evolve as leaders, purpose isn’t fixed. It needs reframing at different life stages—aligning joy, passion, and contribution with where you are now.
Purpose you become vs purpose you chase: Purpose tied only to external success is fragile. True purpose is anchored in who you are becoming—it can’t be taken away by market shifts or circumstance.
📊 Perspective Table — Shetty, Sinek & Burcham
| Perspective | Jay Shetty | Simon Sinek | Clive Burcham |
| Origin | Inner transformation and mindfulness | Core belief—the “why”—drives behaviour | Transformation over time; reframing through life stages and entrepreneurial growth |
| Depth | Rooted in dharma, service, clarity across mind/body/community | Expressed in a clear WHY statement | Grounded in lived experience, contribution, and four gateways: Problem, Passion, Pain, Planet |
| Practice | Daily habits—meditation, reflection, mindful living | Storytelling, WHY statements for teams and individuals | Reflection + reframing; aligning actions and business with evolving life purpose |
| Impact | Fulfilment in growth and contribution | Leadership that inspires trust, vision that fosters loyalty | Businesses, lives, and futures built on purpose that’s unshakable and contribution‑driven |
This is what we explore deeply at Compadres – helping leaders not just find purpose, but operationalise it into their business and life. Reach out if you’d like to start that process of creating a new future for yourself and your business.
