Purpose Has No Age Limit
Written by: Sonja A. Keeve, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
If I were to ask a group of people to define the word ‘purpose’ there would be different answers given. But one thing I know for sure is that when I was searching for my purpose, it took me on a journey I never imagined.
The year was 2015, and I was a corporate employee working for a financial institution. I had been with this company for 5 years, and even received a token of appreciation for all my hard work. The next day, I received a call from my boss who wanted me to come to the corporate office, because the Senior Vice President of our division wanted to meet with me personally. Excited for the meetup, I was under the impression that it would be the talk of a new promotion, because I had excelled at every role in the company. Upon meeting face to face, while my smile was as bright as the sun, the Senior’s VP’s smile quickly turned to something more serious. He asked me to sit down, and the next words out of his mouth were “Due to a downsizing, I am sorry, we are going to have to let you go”. The next moments after he spoke were a complete blur. I asked if I could at least say goodbye to my colleagues, given I had given 5 years of my life to this company. And his response was “you have 5 minutes to collect your things and vacate the premises”.
While this was probably one of the darkest periods in my career, in hindsight it ended up becoming one of the biggest blessings in my life. How? Because amid my pain, I was able to find my true purpose.
What is Purpose?
Purpose as defined by Oxford dictionary is “a person’s sense of resolve or determination”. While another definition is “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists”.
At the time when I was laid off, I felt so blindsided, because my purpose, and my identity was tied into the jobs I held in Corporate America. I soon came to realize that my job was not my purpose in life. My job was simply my vocation, in what I did, it was not who I am. I was about to discover I was becoming so much more.
For each of us, our purpose is different. And the thing that I want to impart to you is that there is no age limit on when you discover your purpose. Some get it early on in life, while others much later. All that matters is that you find it for yourself.
How do you find Purpose?
In order to find your purpose, you will want to ask yourself some questions to help you identify what truly resonates with you. For example, ask yourself “What are some activities that bring you the most joy”? For me, I absolutely love inspiring and encouraging women to live their best life. More specifically I found that when I created my own Podcast show, and I got to interview Women from across the globe, I learned so much in the conversations we had on the show. I got to watch my guest share their expertise and their experiences on a platform, that I created. And to see how appreciative they were for allowing them to share their story was my honor.
Purpose is also found in asking your close network “What do they admire most about you”? Sometimes that feedback can help you uncover some similar themes shared among different people, that can help discover your true purpose.
And lastly, purpose can be found in simply being still and quiet. Sometimes the stillness allows for the flow of clarity to be revealed. I know for me when I was laid off from my corporate job, and crying for three days straight, on that third day, I finally asked God to please help me to find my next opportunity. My spiritual practice in prayer helped me to explore the gifts and talents I already possessed. And it led me not only to a new job, but it opened the door for me to start a business. And now my 9-5 job is the seed that is helping to grow, and scale what I love to do. Teaching and training Women Entrepreneurs how to Build, Launch & Monetize a Podcast in 30 days or less.
Why is Purpose important?
Purpose is important because it’s the gateway to discovering what and in whom you were called to serve. Oprah Winfrey once said, “There is no greater gift you can receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive”. Have you ever had those moments of clarity when you finally discovered your purpose? It’s like having all your dreams come true wrapped up in a pretty bow! If you are so lucky to discover your purpose early in life, congratulations! For me, I found it much later in life in my late 40’s. But no matter if you're 16 or 60 and older there is no age limit to finding your purpose. What matters is that you make the decision to find out. And, once you find it, baby your betta live it out to the fullest.
Why Purpose has no age limit?
There is no specific age when one discovers their purpose. I have found that many discover their purpose through life experiences. Some of us may have been born into families where there was disfunction. Or there are others who were born into families where there was love and support. And do you know in both scenarios, purpose can be birthed? Yes, in good and in bad times.
I think the difference in when we discover our purpose, is a result of when we open our hearts and minds to receive what God has already predestined us to have. Let me break it down for you this way. So, the other day during my morning devotional time, I was learning the difference between what gifts are versus our talents. And according to author Marshawn Evans Daniels in the devotional book “100 Days of Believing Bigger”, she described our gifts as “the things we are born to do”, while our talents are “things we learned to do”.
So, when we think about our purpose as our calling, it’s simply the intersection where our gifts and our talents cross. Remember It does not matter the age you are when you find your purpose, all that matters is when you make the decision to tap into your zone of genius!
Sonja A. Keeve, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sonja Keeve, Author and Speaker as well as the CEO and Founder of Sista’s with a Voice Podcast Network, where she teaches and trains Women Entrepreneurs to Build, Launch & Monetize a Podcast in 30 days or less. She is also the host of two International Podcast Shows, Inspiring Nations and Begin Again.
