Rethinking Purpose

Purpose is one of those words that can feel heavy, even uncomfortable — so loaded with expectation that it can leave us doubting ourselves if we can’t quite name what ours might be. And yet, it’s also one of the most natural things to long for. Purpose gives us energy. It’s the thing that gets us out of bed in the morning, the sense that what we’re doing matters in some way. No wonder so many of my clients come to coaching wanting clarity around it.

For a long time, purpose has been framed as a single, life-defining idea: the one thing we were born (or expected) to do. That way of thinking can feel more pressurising than liberating — especially if our lives don’t follow a neat, ‘impactful’ trajectory.

The reality is that purpose takes many forms. Sometimes it’s found in the small, everyday choices we make — how we show up for the people we love, the care we put into our work, the way we spend our time and energy. These decisions might not look dramatic, but over time they build into something bigger: a life that reflects what matters to us.

Other times, purpose is felt through bigger ambitions: starting a business, leading change, writing, creating, campaigning. These can feel exciting and expansive — and they count too. What matters is whether they genuinely feel like your purpose, or whether they’re simply goals along the way. Both have value, but they’re not always the same thing.

What’s important to remember is that purpose doesn’t need to sit on a pedestal. It can be ordinary or extraordinary. It can be personal and private, or bold and visible. And it can change — evolving as we evolve.

That’s why I see purpose as less of a destination and more of an ongoing relationship with ourselves. Some parts of our life ask for something bigger, others for something smaller. Both are meaningful. Both are worth recognising.

Coaching creates the space to explore this spectrum — to notice the purpose that’s already present in your life, while also clarifying the larger direction you may be searching for. By looking at purpose this way, it eases the pressure of finding the “perfect answer,” and instead allows you to work with what feels authentic to you right now.

If you’re wrestling with questions about purpose and what’s next, an intro call is a chance to talk it through. Together we can explore what really matters to you in this stage of life, and how that can shape the next steps forward.