Tremors of Psychitude: One Little Trick to Find Purpose and Motivation

By Leo Babauta Today when I asked people what was bothering them, the two most common responses were related to: Finding meaning and purpose Finding motivation As it turns out, those two things can be solved with one little step. Here’s the step: help someone else. This sounds exceedingly simple, but it’s the shift in focus that really makes a difference. Let’s say I was having trouble finding the motivation to write … to solve that, I might tweet something asking people what problems they’re having. Then I move from “how do I solve my problem (of not being motivated)” to “how can I help these people”? I’m not bogged down by my own distractions or guilt or laziness anymore … I’m focused on doing something good for someone else. Now I’m excited! The words just pour out of me. This is a hypothetical scenario, of course. Finding Meaning and Purpose If you feel stuck in your life, or confused, because you don’t have a clear direction and have no way of finding that direction … shift your focus from yourself. Instead of thinking, “What should I be doing?” or “What could I do to give my life purpose?” … try asking: What could I do to help people in need? What pain are other people feeling that I could help with? Who do I care most about, and what problems do they have? Who are my current customers, and what can I do to help them more? What problems ar...
Source: Zen Habits - Category: Life Coaches Authors: Tags: Goals & Motivation Source Type: blogs