Each and everyone has a purpose, a unique calling that only they can truly fulfil.
In my experience of coaching people into their purpose, I have observed that there are different levels of our purpose that we can be connected to.
Defining these is helpful. Often, we are further ahead than we realise.
Sometimes it’s just a tweak that’s needed, a refining of a specific area, which brings a momentous shift in a person’s connection to their purpose and the level of fulfilment they feel.
Here are some levels I have observed. What level are you at?
Level 1 – Don’t know what my purpose is
Many people are here. In fact, I would go so far to say the majority of people are here. A lot of people have never asked themselves the question – ‘What is my purpose?’ Many are not concerned with this question or it’s resulting answer.
In Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the pyramid outlining the priorities of our desires, places the need for ‘purpose’ right at the top. In his research it’s the last thing a typical person will start to address when all other factors are in place. ‘Self-actualisation’, as he calls it includes, experiencing purpose, meaning and inner potential. It comes after, basic physiological needs, safety, security, love, belonging and self-esteem. The self-esteem level is just before the level where we seek purpose. In this top-level Maslow also places the need for achievement and to be a unique individual.
Many people don’t get to this top level. Many of us stay focussed on the lower levels of the pyramid, making money, paying the bills, providing financial security and enjoying community and being a part of something, to receive ‘belonging’.
It makes me sad that so many people never discover their unique purpose and give up on asking the question – ‘What is my purpose?’.
I believe that in younger years everyone at some point will ask themself this question but will most often get re-directed to stop asking it, and just get on with what needs to be got on with.
Imagine if part of our society’s standard was that each young adult was given the time and the tools to actually discover the answer to this question. By the time they launched themselves into the world they would know what their purpose is? They would not just have an idea on what job role they can fulfil but a fuller picture of their purpose. They would understanding what impact they could have on the world throughout their life. What a vision to start your career with! But how many young adults are given this guidance to discover what is possible for them to impact in their lifetime and are guided to create a vision?
Wow, so many would achieve amazing things.
I have coached young ladies in their early thirties who have never had this vision and the impact in just a dozen coaching sessions has radically changed their trajectory for the better in terms of what they believe they can do. They have gained a vision for their life going forward. 
Through our coaching model at Destiny Coaching, we have helped thousands get clarity of their purpose from as early as 16 years old to over 80 years old! It is very possible to answer that question.
Level 2 – Know some elements of my purpose but don’t have a clear vision or direction
This is a common place to be. Once we have experienced life and working in different job roles, we know what we are good at. We will have a clue about how to continue to do what we are good at in areas we enjoy working.
For many this feels like a good enough expression of living out their purpose. We get fulfilment working with our strengths. It’s scientifically proven that using the skills we are gifted with, working from our strengths, actually produces happiness in us. This is a good result! Most career development would focus on getting us this far. What more could there be right?
Any parent would be satisfied that their child has talents and is using them to provide a living for themselves and to become financially secure.
If we have achieved this, we would be fairly normal to think, ‘yes I am where I need to be.’
Many people at this level, may have some dreams, or ideas which they have at some point pondered in their heart, but which were at some point dismissed as thinking about these is outside the current status quo.
Thinking that these dreams and ideas could actually be a reality would be considered risky or even stupid as the status quo is ok, comfortable, safe and financially stable. Why break something that is not broken? According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, four out of the five levels of his pyramid are taken care of here. That is a lot! And for many that feels good enough.
This is very much the message I was given by those around me every time I have moved on from something that was going well to pursue a deeper level of purpose.
Level 3 – Have a vision, but don’t know how to activate it
At this level an individual has got a vision about something big that they would like to do, to have greater impact than they have had so far. They have allowed their idea to percolate. They have not dismissed it. They have spent time thinking about it. They have grown the idea into more than just an idea. There are some ‘arms and legs’ on the idea. It has become a vision.
Chances are there will be a spiritual connection to the vision. You may believe that God has given you this vision. You may have a deep heart connection to the vision, where you feel passionate about seeing the change you have visioned is possible.
But, despite all this, somehow over time, maybe years, you have not pursued activating the vison. You have not taken any serious steps to commit to it. You may have tried a few peripheral things which have not meant taking too much risk to upset your status quo, your financial security.
But outside of your main day job you have thought about this vision, maybe talked about it, maybe taken some small actions towards it. You may have done some training or spoken to someone who you thought maybe able to provide opportunity for it. But you haven’t really activated it or committed your main efforts towards it. Your main job remains something that is not this vision.
You may feel stuck, frustrated. You may be wondering what is this all about and why hasn’t it happened.
Level 4 – Have a vision, and have activated parts of it
At this level you may be thinking: How do I get to the next level? What does the next expanded level look like?
At Level 4 you have gone further into activating a good amount of a vision than you would have done in Level 3. You can see parts of it working. You have success stories. You can see the impact of your vision. You have a deep sense of satisfaction about it. It’s further than you maybe thought you would get with it. It may be your full-time occupation, or it could still be part time alongside a less risky role that provides financial security.
Nevertheless, you have figured out a lot of things about your purpose. You know what the impact is you desire and having activated parts of your vision, you know what this impact looks like in reality. You have worked with the audience, the type of people that you are most drawn to help. You have experience now in bringing about what it is you dreamt about.
But you still have a big part of your vision unfulfilled. It maybe that you have envisioned a much bigger impact, more people, more regions. It may be that you are still in the driving seat and when you think about the legacy of your vision it still feels small as it could potentially die with you, it hasn’t been imparted to the next generation.
What you have seen in your complete vision, whether God has shown you, or you have been inspired in some other way, is not what you see currently. There is so much more that you have seen is possible, but you haven’t yet seen it all happen.
If you are at this stage, you have lived a good lot of life and you are most probably hungry to see more at the same time as feeling satisfied that you have seen and achieved what you have.
As well as taking risks and stepping into your vision, you have matured in your inner world. You realise that who you are is as important as what you do. You know that your purpose is both doing something impactful and being someone impactful.
I often coach people at this stage to stretch into the next level which is often way beyond what they thought was possible.
If you are at this stage, well done! Many never reach here.
Level 5 – I am living out my vision in fullness and am amazed!
This final stage of purpose where most do not reach, is a place which everyone has available to them. It is a beautiful place of seeing a vision you had become more than you ever expected.
It a place of satisfaction, of feeling like you have so far had a life well spent. Even in this place God will challenge you into more, because that is who He is, but the more feels like icing in the cake.
You feel that deep amazing satisfaction that more of your vision has happened and been activated than you ever imagined. Your vision may have grown organically. It may have just taken off in one go, with doors of opportunity opening. You will have gained favour and success in realms you planned and a bunch where you didn’t realise you could.
This is a place of maturity. You have learned so much. You have grown into a mature leader. You have imparted much of your strengths and gifts to many others. You have walked in mature leadership, mentored, been a kind of ‘mum’ or ‘dad’ to others. A message you were carrying all the way along, has been conveyed to the world. The world is a different place because of you!
It may be that you created a business, an organisation, or you made an impact within an organisation. However you have impacted the world, you have a legacy. You know the kind of things people will say about you at your funeral because you are seeing this every day, all the time. You may be ‘retired’ you may be working fulltime. Either is applicable, because you have experienced and are experiencing the fulfilment of a life vision, a satisfaction of working within your strengths at a vision that has impacted a part of the world you set about to impact and did!
Few people ever get to this stage. If you have, you can congratulate yourself for pushing through, for taking risks, for not giving up when the going got tough, for sacrificing so much, for often putting others before yourself, for carrying something weighty and most of all for letting go and preparing others to continue the carrying of this in a way that the impact lasts and carries on.
Now you have read these different levels – what level are you at?