Finding meaning and purpose

Purpose is not a job title or a five-year plan you must have figured out by 17. It is a direction: something that matters to you and makes a difference beyond yourself. Research suggests it is something you build through exploring, trying and reflecting, not something you suddenly discover.

What researchers mean by purpose

• Researchers at the Stanford Center on Adolescence define purpose as a stable and generalised intention to accomplish something that is meaningful to you and of consequence to the world beyond you.
• Purpose is different from an everyday goal, such as finishing homework on time. It is longer lasting and points you in a general direction rather than to one task.
• Purpose is also more specific than meaning. You can find life meaningful without a clear aim, but purpose always points towards something you can make progress on, and it includes a wish to make a difference for others.
• The Greater Good Science Center describes purpose as a journey and a practice rather than a fixed destination. It naturally shifts at different stages of life.
• Psychologist Kendall Cotton Bronk, quoted by Greater Good, describes four parts of purpose: dedicated commitment, personal meaningfulness, goal directedness, and a vision bigger than yourself.

Where most young people actually are

• In research led by psychologist William Damon with about 1,200 young Americans aged 12 to 26, only about one in five showed a clear, active purpose.
• About a quarter were 'dreamers', with ideas about what they wanted but no steps taken yet. Around 31 per cent were 'dabblers', who had tried various activities without a clear sense of why.
• About a quarter were 'disengaged', showing no sign of anything purposeful at the moment.
• If you see yourself as a dreamer or a dabbler, that is normal and useful: dabbling is how you collect the experiences that purpose grows from.
• This research was done in the United States, so the exact percentages may differ elsewhere, but the main lesson travels well: purpose develops over time, and most teenagers are still exploring.

Why purpose is worth the effort

• Greater Good reports that young people with a sense of purpose tend to report higher happiness and life satisfaction, which seems to be linked with better educational outcomes.
• Studies of adults have linked a greater sense of purpose with better physical functioning, healthier habits such as exercising and seeing the doctor, and longer life.
• One study found that young adults whose purpose was aimed at helping others showed more personal growth, integrity and health later in adulthood.
• Interestingly, one study of university students found that simply having a meaningful goal mattered more than which type of goal it was. You do not need the 'perfect' purpose to benefit.

Where purpose comes from

• The Stanford consensus document lists role models, mentors, heroes and groups such as service clubs and faith communities as common routes into purpose.
• Moral emotions such as awe, admiration and gratitude can spark purpose. Notice what moves you when you watch the news, read a story or meet someone who inspires you.
• Reflection at milestones, such as finishing exams, turning 18 or moving to university, is a natural moment to ask what you want your life to be about.
• Damon's advice to parents is 'listen closely for the spark, then fan the flames'. You can do this for yourself: notice what you lose track of time doing, and what problems you cannot stop thinking about.
• Being stretched in a safe, supportive setting helps. Too much pressure to act like an adult, or too little challenge, can both get in the way.

Three tested exercises to start with

• The Magic Wand: imagine you could change anything about your home, community or the world. Write for about 15 minutes about what you would change and why, then what it would take and whether you could help.
• In a study by Bronk and colleagues, young adults who did a three-day purpose toolkit including the Magic Wand were more successful at searching for and identifying a purpose than a comparison group.
• Best Possible Self: write for 15 minutes about your life in the future if everything went as well as it could. Focus on what you are doing, who you are with and why it matters.
• Strengths check: ask three people who know you well, such as a teacher, a relative and a friend, 'What do you think I am good at, and where could I make a difference?' Write their answers down and look for overlaps.
• Values check: list what matters most to you (for example family, faith, fairness, creativity, health, learning) and circle your top three. The Values and Character module has a full values exercise.