Have you thought about the vision of what you want for your life? As an Integrative 
Health Coach, I regularly challenge clients to tackle concepts that can be a bit intimidating ~ passion, vision, purpose, etc. Some clients eloquently describe a detailed vision with words or images. Me, I struggle with the bigness of defining these concepts. What is my life’s purpose? How do I tackle passion, vision and values? Whenever an idea or task feels big and I feel too small to handle it, my approach is “baby steps”. My baby step for managing “life’s purpose” is to create a “daily purpose”.
Benefits of Setting a Daily Purpose
1. Gives your day direction. Take a moment to think about the past. Recall a time when you were simply bumbling through the day. How does it feel? What one word describes a day without direction? Now remember a day when you had a clear direction or purpose. Today, my purpose is to be a good friend. Today, my purpose is to focus my attention on my home. Today, my purpose is to be a successful ___________. What do you notice when you reflect on that day? Purpose adds direction and stability.
2. Creates a “home base”. I don’t know about you, but some days it feels like a million things are coming at me. What’s most distracting in your day? Phone calls? Texts? Kids? A never ending “To Do List”? When you set a daily purpose, you manage the distractions, take care of the next emergency, enjoy a deep breath and get back on track by returning to your purpose. It reminds me of reaching home base when playing tag. I feel safe again.
3. Provides a measuring stick. Do you ever end your day asking, “What did I even do today? Where did the day go?” Setting your day’s purpose allows you to check in at the end of the day and gauge your sense of success or value. It’s different than marking things off your To Do List. You may not complete your To Do List but your purpose can be met. Yes, I was a good friend. Yes, I was dedicated to my home. Yes, I was a successful ___________.
4. Connects you to your vision. If you are clear on your life’s vision then setting a daily purpose keeps you connected. If you set a daily purpose that is way off from your bigger purpose, notice the yellow flag. It’s time to reflect and determine which is off. You could alter the daily purpose to keep it in line with your greater purpose or stick with the “off” purpose and explore something new. Every day is full of information about you and your life. It’s up to you to bring that information into your awareness. At the end of the day, evaluate the daily purpose. Was it an anomaly? Did you stick with it? Did it feel right? It’s always good to explore your purpose and learn from your day. Is it time to tweak the bigger purpose or get back on track with your daily purpose?
If you are are like me and struggle with the daunting task of establishing your life’s vision or big purpose, setting a daily purpose offers the opportunity to explore minipurposes. Each day, set your purpose and see what you learn. Maybe keep a journal or simply track your purpose on a calendar with a note at the end of the day. Did you stick with it? Did it feel right? Does this make sense? Is it part of your bigger purpose? As you gather information from real living, your big purpose may reveal itself.
Tips for Setting a Daily Purpose
What’s the best way to set your daily purpose? Well, the best way is however works for you! My three tips are below. Share your ideas in the Comments. It is invaluable to learn from others’ experiences.
Establish a consistent time to set your purpose. Creating a new daily habit is challenging. I have been practicing setting a daily purpose for months. With time, trial and learning, I set my daily purpose while still in bed. Once I get out of bed, the busyness of my day takes over and I am influenced by things I “should do”. “Shoulds” wreak havoc on a daily purpose.
Don’t confuse your purpose with tasks on your To Do List. This is my biggest struggle. Often my purpose gets confused with my To Do List. Think about it. What you plan to accomplish today is where you spend your time. You dedicate time to tasks which are inline with your purpose. Ask yourself this question about your potential daily purpose, “Is this something I can complete and check off by the end of the day?” If you can mark it off a list or complete it, it’s probably a task. A purpose is ongoing and consists of more than a single task. You can accomplish your daily purpose but you don’t finish it.
Set a time to reflect on your day’s purpose. To get the full value from your daily purpose, check back in. Did you remain focused on your purpose? Is it inline with your bigger, life purpose? What do you notice about your day? How does it feel in your head, heart, gut? Set a daily purpose and experience your days with a sense of joy, success and learning!
Summing It Up
Setting a daily purpose is a powerful tool for waking up to your life and paying more attention to your day. If you are sleep walking through your day-to-day or find yourself frustrated with a never ending To Do List, try creating a daily purpose. It sounds simple but you may be surprised both with the challenge of creating the new habit as well as connecting with a purpose. The tips above and realizing the benefits assist in sticking with it.
If you have ideas to share, please add your thoughts below. It’s great to hear from our readers and learn from each other.
If you need assistance send us a note. Creating new habits sounds easy but the reality is, it’s never simple. Partnering with an Integrative Health Coach is a great way to build the support you may need. Schedule a time to chat today. First visit is at no charge. Let’s discover the baby steps that are best for you.
