What is your purpose in life?
Quick answer
There’s no single answer everyone shares. Your purpose in life is usually described as the goals, values and commitments that give your life meaning and direction, such as caring for others, creating something, learning or improving your community. Most people build a sense of purpose over time rather than discover it all at once.
It’s one of the oldest questions people ask, and also a common job interview question. Either way, the honest answer is personal.
What thinkers have said
| Source | Idea of purpose |
|---|---|
| Aristotle | Eudaimonia: living well by developing your best qualities |
| Viktor Frankl | Meaning comes from work, love and the attitude we take toward suffering |
| Existentialists (Sartre, Camus) | Life has no built-in purpose, so we create our own |
| Ikigai (Japanese idea) | The overlap of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs and what you can be paid for |
| Many religions | Purpose comes from a relationship with God or a higher order |
Why it matters
Psychologists who study purpose have found that people who report a strong sense of it tend to be more resilient and more satisfied with their lives. Purpose doesn’t have to be grand. Raising a family, being a reliable friend or doing careful work can all count.
Questions to help you find yours
- When do you lose track of time? Those activities point to what engages you.
- What problems make you angry or sad? Caring about a problem is often where purpose begins.
- What do people thank you for? Others often notice your strengths before you do.
- What would you do if money didn’t matter?
- How do you want to be remembered?
Write your answers down and look for themes. Purpose can change as your life changes, and that’s normal.
In a job interview
If an interviewer asks, keep it short and genuine, and connect it to the role: “I want to build things that make people’s lives easier, which is why this product appeals to me.” For other tricky everyday questions, see how to respond to “how are you?”.
Still curious?
Jump to a random question from the archive.