How to Find Your True Calling and Set Goals in Life

Discovering your true calling is an important component of a prosperous life. It helps us feel fulfilled, happy, and connected with others. But how do you find your purpose? Find out in this article.

True calling is a choice and self-analysis

The search for your true calling and understanding your life goals are the results of self-analysis and answering fundamental questions. To determine the direction of your development and understand who you want to become, ask yourself the following questions:

• Where do I want to go?
• What is my life purpose?
• What is the meaning of life for me?

There are many areas where you can find your true calling, but the most popular ones include professional activities, faith and serving God, living by conscience and honor, science, business, art, wealth and popularity, as well as contributing to the well-being and assistance of others.

To find your true calling and define your goals in life, it is necessary to understand your beliefs, life views, and philosophy.

The path to finding your true calling

The journey to finding your true calling and choosing life goals begins with realizing the direction you are currently pursuing. It is crucial to determine your path and not abandon it halfway, but rather move towards your goal persistently and consciously.

The first question you need to ask yourself is, “Where am I going?” It defines your future direction and indicates that you should move towards your goal deliberately, rather than trying to achieve it accidentally. It’s not advisable to walk multiple paths simultaneously; it’s better to choose one main path and progress steadfastly along it.

It is very important to determine your interests and what you want to engage in for an extended period. Find something that you are enthusiastic about and eager to develop. If you choose something solely for rational reasons or only for profit, you are likely to struggle to make significant progress in that direction because you won’t derive pleasure from your work.

Choosing a specific path doesn’t mean you’ll stay on it forever. Every road has forks, and you can always choose new directions based on your experience and interests. It’s crucial to remember that you should start with a heartfelt desire, as such a path will be the easiest and most enjoyable for you.

Don’t listen to the advice of those around you who may not know you as well as you know yourself. It’s better to choose your initial desire, even if it seems insignificant. It’s just a starting point, and you can adjust your path and goals as you develop.

Life spheres where you can fulfill yourself

The search for your true calling and the determination of goals in life are important steps towards self-realization and life satisfaction. To identify the sphere of life where you can unleash your potential, consider various aspects of life such as professional activities, faith and serving God, conscience and honor, science, business, art, wealth and popularity, as well as contributing to the well-being and assistance of others. In this section, we will explore each of these life spheres in more detail and show how they can help you determine your true calling and choose life goals.

Professional activities

The beginning of a professional journey can be challenging as we may lack knowledge and often believe it’s not meant for us. However, it’s crucial to endure the initial steps and get accustomed to the workload of professional activities.

As you acquire more knowledge and experience, you can diversify your work process and freely juggle knowledge as you see fit. With an increase in knowledge, working becomes easier.

It’s important to understand that at this stage, the goal is not about earning but about gaining knowledge and becoming a professional in your field. Therefore, it’s essential to choose a profession that genuinely interests you and that you want to learn.

Becoming a professional opens up numerous opportunities, such as:

• Being self-employed.
• Starting your own business.
• Becoming a mentor for beginners.
• Transitioning to a more prestigious company.

The list of possibilities is endless, but to start exploring them, you need to choose your path and follow it consistently.

Faith and serving God

This sphere involves adhering to commandments, communicating with God through faith and prayer. A person who serves God must realize the potential bestowed upon them by God.

Through faith, a person finds solace and copes better with challenging situations in life. Belief in God is a moral principle, a virtue that a person must observe throughout their life.

If we consider the world’s religions, in addition to commandments like being humble, being kind to others, and helping them, there are certain restrictions on lifestyle that one cannot violate. It’s also crucial here to accept any situation (as it is God’s will).

This worldview is quite passive. Even if any misfortune occurs, one must thank God and hope that He will provide something better. In other words, a person doesn’t independently choose to solve problems but asks God to handle life’s difficulties.

Many people in religions shift the responsibility for their problems and “sins” onto God. Therefore, I do not support the practice of adhering to world religions. I believe in God, and faith resides within me, not somewhere outside. Since God gave us the freedom of action, it’s my responsibility to build my life. I seek the reasons for my failures and problems only within myself.

In my faith, God gives me signs that guide me in this life. If one notices all the signs, then success and happiness await them in this life. And most importantly, one should never ask anything from God. After all, God already knows what’s best for us. Requesting something from God is pragmatic.

I accept any situation in life, but at the same time, I don’t sit still. Depending on circumstances, I act and make decisions.

Living by conscience and honor

This entails developing qualities and principles that we never violate. We must create an ideal image of ourselves that we strive for and maintain. By living by conscience and honor, we can be confident in our actions and choices, ultimately leading to personal and professional success.

Science

This sphere is suitable for those who want to understand the world with an analytical approach. It involves continuously improving our lives, exploring new ways to enhance the world created by humans for others.

In the scientific approach to the meaning of life, I highlight:

1. Systemic analysis: The meaning of life is a goal that will have the greatest significance for you. In practice, it involves slowing down the rate of entropy growth.

Entropy is an irreversible phenomenon that leads any system towards disorder and chaos.

If the growth of entropy in the universe will eventually lead to the disappearance of life, the meaning lies in taking action to delay this moment. It involves seeking ways to maximize life extension or slowing down the aging process.

2. Psychological approach: Modern psychology leans towards individualization and specifying the meaning of life. Authentic meaning can be known by the individual. It is unique and specific to each person.

3. Social approach: Modern social theory describes four paradigms of thinking:

• Pre-modern: Before the 15th century AD. The central focus of culture and society, and the meaning of life, was God and the aspiration towards Him.
• Modern: From the 15th century to the early 20th century. The meaning of life was knowledge, science, and exploration of the world.
• Postmodern: After World War I until the beginning of the year 2000. Rejecting a single center of attention and meaning altogether. There is no unified meaning of life; everyone has their truth, and each believes in what they want.
• Metamodern: From 2000 to the present day. It involves searching for strong life models in different periods of human existence.

Business

For many people, business is their entire life. Individuals start their businesses because they have an idea that they develop commercially. It all begins with an idea and skills that help build a business. As the business evolves, a person gains:

• Money.
• Power.
• Fame.
• Satisfaction of the need to be engaged in something.
• Development in various life spheres.

However, you cannot create a business without an idea, skills in the chosen field, a strong character, and people management. In other words, a businessman must be a professional in their field, have solid principles, and a clear approach to life. They must understand and manage people, recognize manipulations, and handle critical situations.

If you lack something to start a business, begin with self-employment. Provide your experience and services to other businesses while simultaneously interacting with colleagues and learning from their experiences to build your own business.

Art

Primarily, it involves the ability for abstract thinking, enabling you to create a work of art. Art can take various forms, but the key is to imbue your creation with a specific meaning that will bring a certain benefit to others.

Embedding meaning is the foundation of art. Without knowing what you want to convey with your work, you won’t achieve anything in art. The execution and technique of the work are not crucial in art because art involves abstract thinking, not analytical thinking that fixates on execution techniques and algorithms.

Art can help you not only express yourself but also temporarily disconnect from the external world, find calmness, and relax. It is an excellent therapeutic method that helps reevaluate your life, ideas, and move forward confidently and happily.

Wealth and popularity

The goal of becoming wealthy is not about having a pile of money but realizing desires and gaining new experiences. To become wealthy, you must understand why you want it. You should have motivation in the form of your desires that won’t let you deviate from the path to becoming a wealthy person.

Immediately, I’ll say that purely material desires are an insufficient stimulus for a person. Because the importance lies not in the possessions but in the impressions, emotions you will get from having them.

Therefore, take experiences that you will gain, your new state, and think about how your life will change and what new opportunities you will have, as your goal. Envision how this will affect your life and what possibilities you will gain.

On the path to wealth, don’t abandon an ongoing venture that brings you income. Present the impressions you will gain from wealth as motivation. They won’t let you stray from your path.

Popularity should be considered as a result of actions performed and your mastery in the chosen field. Popularity should not be your goal. It comes when you give other people good impressions, and they believe in your professionalism.

Contributing to the well-being and assistance of others

Helping others is a noble goal in life. But you must understand that such assistance should be beneficial to people. Think about what you can give to another person. Identify your strengths in which you are competent.

By helping people, you strengthen your self-confidence. You can overcome difficulties more easily. And most importantly, build connections with people and develop in society. This will help you build a network that you can later use in any sphere of life, both professional and everyday.

Do not hesitate to ask for something in return if necessary. If you help a person, they are already disposed towards you favorably and most likely ready to help you in return.

For what purpose do you live specifically?

Evaluate the current state of your life. It is necessary to ask yourself: what do I want to achieve? What do I love to do? What inspires me? What are my strengths? Answers to these questions will help you define your current beliefs, views on life, and philosophy.

Next, choose the sphere with which you want to start pursuing your life goal. It can be any direction that interests you and where you want to develop: work, personal relationships, self-improvement, etc.

Then, compare your current beliefs, views, and philosophy with those required for the specific sphere. This will help you understand what changes need to be made in your life to move in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to change and try new things; it will help you effectively realize your life goal.

How to find your calling in 10 steps

Finding your calling in life can be a real challenge for those who don’t know where to start. In such a case, ask yourself these questions:

• Do I enjoy what I’m currently doing?
• Am I passionate about my work?
• Does it evoke pleasant feelings when I think about it?
• Am I attracted to what I do?

1. Pay attention to what interests you

Do you often watch science fiction movies? Do you find yourself lingering over yoga brochures? Or maybe you draw during meetings and breaks?

Whatever it is, you are drawn to it, indicating a natural interest. So, delve a little deeper.

Watch more science fiction, attend yoga classes, or turn that doodle into a finished drawing.

2. Look into the past

What did you do for fun in your youth? What were your dreams envisioning the future? What sparked your curiosity?

Try to remember as much as possible. Some you may have already accomplished, while others you might have forgotten. Write down as much as you can and see what still captures your attention.

3. Don’t worry too much about the future

Worrying about not finding that missing piece that will make you happy and complete will only hinder you. Try to focus on the present.

Concentrate on what you’re going to do today to explore what you like. Because if you push yourself too hard, nothing will please you!

4. Notice how you feel when doing something

So, you’re trying something new. How do you feel? When something suits you, it will feel right, and you’ll feel good doing it. But this applies to things that don’t suit you as well.

If something doesn’t genuinely interest you or, worse, feels routine, it’s not what you’re looking for. And that’s okay! Not everything will be for you.

5. Identify things you constantly come back to

Surely you have a few hobbies or interests that you keep coming back to.

Maybe you love rereading Wikipedia articles on Civil War-era espionage. Perhaps when you’re bored, you experiment with cooking something new in the kitchen.

If you keep coming back to something, it likely holds meaning for you.

6. Change your daily routine

Falling into a routine is an easy way to kill creativity—or introspection—because you’re on autopilot.

By changing your surroundings, you can make yourself think differently, and perhaps in this new environment, you’ll realize something about yourself that didn’t occur to you before.

7. Try new things

This may seem pointless, but you won’t know how to find your calling until you’ve tried everything. This is the only way to determine what you like and what you don’t.

If something seems interesting, give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, well, now you know it’s not for you.

So, fencing seemed really cool in movies, but you ended up with nothing but bruises? Oh well, at least now you have an answer to that question. On to the next one!

8. Say “Yes”!

It’s easy to shy away from new, strange opportunities, but you never know what they might hold.

Does your friend from work have an extra ticket to a concert you’ve never heard of? Why not check it out? Did you see a coupon for kayaking lessons? Hey, it’s good exercise!

And even if, in the end, it’s not what you love, at least you’ll have a good story to tell!

9. Don’t follow someone else’s dream

Maybe your parents wanted you to follow in their footsteps, or your best friend thought the fifth-grade talent show was a sign you’d be a singer. But if these goals don’t interest you, do what you want.

It’s your life, not theirs, and although the pressure is real, so are the disappointments and regrets that will inevitably follow.

10. Be patient

To find your true calling, effort is required. It won’t fall from the sky or hit you on the head.

It will take a lot of time, self-analysis, and plenty of trial and error before you find what suits you. And that’s okay!

By taking the time to discover what truly makes you happy, you’ll gain the knowledge of how to fulfill yourself.

What is your true calling in life? Let us know in the comments below, and please share with friends and loved ones who might be searching for direction in life!