How to Choose the Right Path For Your Life

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? What your talents are? What you’re actually supposed to be doing in life and how you’ll know if you’re on the right path in business and in life?

What if I told you that you already have all of those answers and in today’s video, I’m going to help you pull them out so you can use your gifts to leave a positive impact on the world. 

If you’re new to my channel, I’m Ashlee Tate and you’re watching The Socialife, the place where I share marketing and communications advice so you can design a life and business on purpose!

A few weeks ago, I spoke to High School students across the state and wanted to leave them with this:

Purpose is not something you find, purpose is something you do.

By sheer definition, purpose is doing something with intention and objective.

This is why we say “did you do that on purpose” with intention...do you have a reason? 

Before we move on, here are some important definitions you need to know regarding purpose:

Purpose is a noun: The reason for which something is done

Purpose is also a verb: One’s intention or objective

Passion: Strong and barely controllable emotion

Fulfillment: The achievement of something desired, promised or predicted OR The meeting of a requirement or condition

Vision: The ability to think about or plan the future with imagination and wisdom

Wisdom is the operative word here: You need to know yourself enough to KNOW what you want. Life is a journey of exploration. The exploration of YOU.

Business is the same way. You make decisions on your current purpose and the vision of your life with the wisdom you currently have or collectively use.

Passion will show up in other things that are completely unrelated to the decisions you make in your life. This word often gets confused for fulfillment.

When you are working towards your ultimate vision of life, fulfillment will be there because you are working towards something greater. 

This is why someone can work the same job for 50 years and have a fulfilled life. Their vision of success was providing a life for their family.

My philosophy on purpose is that it is a means to an end goal, that end goal in this case being your definition of success, your big vision in life. You can only do something well that you are naturally gifted and talented in. The way you use these gifts is by using them for a specific end goal. 

Here‘s my personal example: When I was 17 I wanted to get married so badly I couldn’t stand it. You use those gifts to get you closer to your goal. I’ve been a great communicator and opportunist. So when my mother told me I could get married if I got a skill, I signed up for the military! I had a purpose for signing up, it wasn’t my passion or my gift. It was a means to an end. 

My point in all of this is that we do things as a means to an end. Purpose is the evolution of yourself on your way to that end.

You will do many different things along the way as you grow but you have to stay focused on the big vision of your life.

At that time, my big vision was and still is a family. In case you were wondering, I didn’t get married at 17, my mom’s ultimate purpose

Here is how you determine if you are on the right path to your vision of success:

Follow your strengths to find your gifts

Work toward your vision ON Purpose.

Learn more about yourself from everything you do.

Still not sure if you're making the right decisions?

If there is a skill you need to further your purpose and it will get you closer to your vision, take the first step in that direction. 

To say that there is some predefined purpose out there for you is not the case but staying focused on your overall vision WILL keep you from ending up in a dead end job or taking opportunities that don’t apply to your overall vision or current purpose in life. 

So if you’d like coaching to help you create a vision for life and business, sign up for The Academy where I offer weekly group coaching sessions OR you can download my FREE design your life and business workbook to help you get started. 

When you are designing a life and business on purpose everything you do is moving you closer to your overall vision. Purpose is the means to achieve your overall vision of success. 

Ask yourself two questions each time you find yourself connecting to something and want to ensure that it serves a purpose:

Will what you are doing today get you closer to your overall vision of success? If not, change it.

Does this work off of my strengths? If not shift it. 

Check out this related video: How to Overcome Fear and Self Doubt

Now, get out there and unleash your something amazing!