The question that I raise for this article has been on my mind since reading the book The Power of Purpose: To Grow and Give for Life by Richard Leider and David Shapiro. This is the 4th edition of the book (Oakland CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2025). The authors raise questions for everyone as life purpose is such an important foundation for living with some focus and direction. I see this as especially important for people like me who have struggled with addictive triggers and situations. I believe strongly that living in sobriety requires a strong sense of purpose–a conviction or set of convictions that can help us stay balanced in our lives. I see this because our addictions have probably threatened and challenged our life purpose, and our recovery has probably become part of our life purpose. In this article, I want to explore some of what Leider and Shapiro suggest as elements of life purpose, as well as adding a few of my own. Hopefully, these reflections will help you with articulating your life purpose as well as living with purpose in your life.
Another way that Leider and Shapiro view life purpose is through the lens of a calling. In other words, what, or who, calls us to move in a particular direction. I was intrigued by the men who taught me in high school, and I felt a call to become a Roman Catholic priest just like them. In learning about a career or work, we feel called to explore how to be equipped to work in that field. There are many ways, then, to hear a call, and Leider and Shapiro connect that with discovering our life purpose. Suffice to say, these callings throughout our life often lead us to shift our life purpose. So, what has called you to move in a particular direction in your life? Or what called you to move toward recovery? Those callings probably led you to change your life purpose. We will now look at some of the different elements that can serve as pillars for discovering our life purpose as well as living our life purpose.
Gifts and Talents
The first element that can help us discover our life purpose is acknowledging our gifts and talents. It is easy to get swamped by our failures and what we can’t do, especially in comparing ourselves to others. And why do we often compare ourselves with people who are more gifted than ourselves, leading us to feel even more ungifted?
So, what are some of your gifts and talents? A few come to mind: cooking, organizing meetings and groups, supporting others, a sense of humor, a facility with math and finance etc. At times, it can be helpful to ask a trusted friend what gifts they see us possessing. I really believe that not one of us is ungifted; in other words, we are all gifted human beings! It can be helpful to jot down our gifts, especially as we consider our life purpose.
Our Values
The next pillar is becoming aware of what we value. I have found it also includes our beliefs. For example, I believe and value communities to which we belong and can both give and receive support. I believe we are able to re-bound from mistakes we have made and harm we have done to others and ourselves. I value creativity in myself and others. What do you value and believe in?
I would urge you to also be playful as you seek to name and practice your life purpose.
Passion
The next pillar that Leider and Shapiro speak of is passion. At this point in your life, what are you passionate about? The authors raise an interesting question: “What got you out of bed this morning?” What excites you? And what are you curious about? I am passionate about helping people achieve and maintain sobriety. I am passionate about the equality of all people and showing respect to all people. What are some of your passions?
Traditions
A pillar I want to add in seeking to discover our life purpose is being aware of the traditions that are important to us. Honoring these traditions is one way of acknowledging the past from which we have come. These traditions might be from our family or a particular religion or spirituality or from a particular recovery tradition- like the 12 Steps. Traditions can help us learn from our past and bring the best of our past into the present. What are some of the traditions that you honor and give some direction to your life these days?
Practices
The last element I would add to the pillars of life purpose is practices we find that are life-giving. Exercising – both physical and spiritual – are important to me in staying on course. A couple of times a week, I meet with a group at a local coffee shop that keeps us connected. Weekly, I attend my 12 Step group. These practices give my life some structure amid the changes that can often arise. What are some practices that are important to you in your life and give you some structure?
Conclusion
So, our gifts and talents, values and beliefs, passions, traditions and practices comprise the world out of which we create our life purpose. As I mentioned earlier, life purpose often changes as new things happen in our lives like retirement, changing jobs, marrying or divorcing, entering recovery. At this moment, one of the ways I express my life purpose is seeking to love my neighbors as well as myself and being able to forgive others, as well as myself, for what they and I have done to hurt others and myself.
I would urge you to also be playful as you seek to name and practice your life purpose; it is not like trying to prepare and take a final exam. What are some of the guiding principles of your life that help you decide what to do and what to engage in? Also, if you find yourself stuck about your life purpose, don’t be afraid to ask a trusted friend for help and guidance. And maybe that is good for all of us to remember to ask for help when we are stuck. And thanks to Leider and Shapiro for their insights into this very important topic.
