Undecided About Your Career? Start With Finding Your Purpose

If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about your career path or caught up in the pressure of choosing a job, chasing promotions, or finding the “perfect” field, keep one thing in mind—fulfilling careers don’t necessarily start with a job title or salary goal. They start with something deeper: your purpose.

“Discovering your purpose” might sound like a fluffy self-help idea, but in reality it’s a grounded, actionable process that gives you clarity and direction. After all, you can’t build a house without a foundation. Once that’s solid, you can build everything else—your goals, roles, and choices—on top of it. So, if you’re ready to start aligning your work with what matters to you, here’s how to get started.

Why Purpose Comes First

When you focus solely on external markers of success—like job titles or salaries—you risk ending up in a career that looks good on paper but feels empty. Purpose, on the other hand, is the “why” behind your work. It gets you out of bed in the morning and keeps you motivated during the hard times. Research shows that people with a strong sense of purpose are more satisfied with their careers and more resilient.

Purpose is your compass. Without it, you’re more likely to feel aimless, second-guessing your career moves or chasing someone else’s definition of success.

Reflect on What Drives You

Before diving headfirst into job listings, reflect on what genuinely energizes you. What issues or problems do you feel compelled to solve? When do you feel most alive or in a state of flow? These moments hold clues about your purpose—think hard about them and write them down!

Entrepreneur and motivational speaker Tony Robbins suggests identifying what excites you and makes you feel fulfilled. Is it helping others? Solving difficult problems? Creating beauty? Your answers don’t need to be tied to a specific career right now. The goal is first to figure out what lights your fire.

Explore Your Central Values

Purpose and values go hand in hand. Your values are the principles that guide how you want to live and work. Identifying them can help you understand what kind of work environment reflects who you are.

Ask yourself these kinds of questions:

• Do I value independence or collaboration more?
• Is making a social impact important to me?
• Do I prioritize creativity, stability, or adventure?

Knowing your work values helps you avoid careers that clash with what’s most important to you. For instance, if you value flexibility but choose a job with a rigid schedule, you’re likely to become dissatisfied at the very least.

Think About the Impact You Want to Make

Purpose often connects to impact, or what you want to contribute to the world. I’m not talking about solving global issues (unless that’s what you want to do!). Your impact could be making a difference in smaller, meaningful ways like mentoring others, bettering a community, or providing products that improve people’s lives.

Consider these questions:

• Who or what do I want to help?
• How do I want others to feel because of my work?
• What change do I want to make (no matter how small)?

The answers to these questions can guide you toward careers where you can have the influence you want.

Test and Experiment

Once you’ve pinpointed some themes around your purpose, test them in the real world. Purpose isn’t something you fully grasp overnight—you discover it through action (Greater Good).

Start small:

• Volunteer for a cause that speaks to you.
• Take on a side project that interests you.
• Talk to professionals and executives in fields you’re curious about and ask about their work.

These steps can confirm whether your instincts are on the right track. For instance, if you think you want to teach, volunteer to tutor or mentor someone. If you find it rewarding, you may be headed in the right direction.

Match Your Career with Your Purpose

Once you’ve identified your purpose, your next step is connecting it with your career goals (Morten Hansen). Sometimes, small adjustments to your current role—like taking on new responsibilities or projects that excite you—can bring your work closer to your purpose.

However, if you need a more drastic change, you might explore new industries, seek roles that better reflect your values, or even start your own venture. Purpose doesn’t have to be tied to a single job; it can evolve as you grow.

Purpose Is a Journey, Not a Destination

When I was a young student at Santa Clara University, I remember my Business Ethics professor used to say repeatedly, “success is a journey, not a destination.”  Well, purpose is also a journey and not a destination.  The process of finding your purpose and aligning it with your career takes time. It’s okay to feel uncertain or take a few detours along the way—just stay curious and open to possibilities.

As you move forward, keep reflecting on what brings you joy and meaning. Purpose isn’t something you “figure out” once and for all; it changes as you do. So, if you’re undecided about your career, start with this question: What really matters to you? Once you know that, the rest will follow.