Finding Your Purpose: At Work, At Home, and In Life

For a long time, I believed purpose was something lofty. Either you found it, or you did not. I admired people who seemed to discover theirs early, as if clarity arrived fully formed and they simply followed it.

Recently, during a powerful session at Neythri as part of the Professional Leadership Development event led by Dolly Meese and Maggie Schear, that belief shifted. What struck me was not just the inspiration of the conversation, but its structure. They reframed purpose not as something mystical, but as something that can be excavated, articulated, activated, and lived with intention.

Purpose, I realized, is not abstract. It is deeply practical. It shapes how we make decisions, how we show up in relationships, and how we lead.

It begins with an honest assessment

Purpose starts with asking real questions:

What energizes me?

What drains me?

Where do I feel aligned?

Where do I feel friction?

When I do not pause to reflect, I default to reacting. When I do pause, I lead more consciously. Self-assessment is not indulgent. It is grounding.

It requires articulation

Clarity matters. Purpose needs language. Not language that sounds impressive, but language that sounds true.

Dolly and Maggie guided us through four deceptively simple questions:

• What did you want to be when you grew up?

• If you were an animal, what would it be and why?

• If you were stranded on an island with ten strangers, what role would you naturally take?

• What is the most impactful compliment you have recently received?

As I worked through these questions, something clicked.

As a child, I wanted to work for Oxfam. I wanted to do work that mattered. I did not have the vocabulary then, but I had the instinct to contribute meaningfully.

On the island, I saw myself as the connector. The one helping people find common ground, recognize strengths, and move forward together.

The animal that came to mind was the lion. Not because of dominance, but because of leadership, protection, and loyalty.

And when I reflected on the most impactful compliment I have received, one word surfaced immediately: loyal.

Looking at these answers together, I could see the pattern. Service. Stewardship. Building belonging. Protecting what matters. These are not roles I stepped into by accident. They are consistent threads that have always been there.

Purpose, for me, is not about a title. It is about these anchors.

It is anchored in principles, not positions

Purpose is not a job description. It is a set of guiding principles.

Am I building belonging?

Am I protecting what matters?

Am I creating spaces where people can grow and lead?

These questions guide me more than any title ever could.

It must be activated

Purpose is not a statement I admire once and forget. It is something I embed into my daily life.

It shows up in how I design my calendar.

In the boundaries I protect.

In the opportunities I say yes to and the ones I decline.

If my time does not reflect my values, then my purpose remains theoretical.

It requires implementation

Purpose without structure is inspiration. Purpose with structure becomes transformation.

I ask myself:

How do I know I am living aligned?

Where does my purpose show up in my actions?

What am I measuring, even informally, about growth and impact?

When I treat purpose as something operational rather than abstract, it becomes real.

Reflections from the Community

One of the most powerful parts of the session was seeing how differently purpose shows up for each of us, while still revealing shared themes.

One reflection spoke about wanting to become a philanthropic lawyer, advocating for women facing abuse. That early sense of justice evolved into a purpose rooted in empathy and leadership. The elephant symbolized emotional intelligence, strength, and compassion. The defining compliment was knowing when others need support before they ask. The action phrase that captured it all was simple and powerful: Polish the Diamond, in oneself and in others.

Another reflection began with a childhood dream of being a builder. That instinct now shows up in building strong financial foundations and bringing clarity and integrity to complex systems. Leadership blended lion and elephant energy, decisiveness paired with wisdom and empathy. The most meaningful compliment was being known as someone who makes ambitious goals possible.

Different paths. Different expressions. A shared thread of service and responsibility.

What I Have Learned

Purpose is not always about a dramatic pivot. It is often about recognizing that you are already where you are meant to be, and choosing to live that more consciously.

It evolves. It deepens. It sharpens with experience.

So I write it down.

I revisit it.

I refine it.

Because purpose is not something I get right once. It is something I practice.

And when I live it intentionally, it becomes the quiet force that shapes not only what I build, but who I become.

Author Bio Deepali Paul is the Program Director at Neythri.org, where she leads the design and execution of high-impact leadership programs for senior South Asian women. She is deeply passionate about building and scaling purpose-driven communities that unlock access, opportunity, and influence at the highest levels of leadership.