Do you remember the old movie, “Back to the Future,” directed by Steven Spielberg? The ‘back to the future’ idea is a great starting point for discovering your purpose and discerning the direction in which you should now travel. Go back in time, to when you were a child and you will uncover clues that will point you in the right direction for the future.

  • As a child, what were your favourite subjects at school? What did you love to do, where did you achieve the best results and the most recognition?
  • What were your hobbies, interests and past-times as a child? What are they now? What do you really enjoy doing? What is it that gives you a buzz? What is it that you’re good at and that enjoy doing so much that you’d gladly do it for free, if you had to do?
  • How could this ‘talent’ or skill be of service or value or use to others? How could you supply a need or create a desire for what it is you are good at?
  • Now ask yourself this question: What would you do with your life, if you had an absolute copper-bottom guarantee that you couldn’t fail? If there were no restrictions whatsoever and there were no obstacles such as money or time, if you absolutely knew that you couldn’t fail, what would you attempt to do? When you have answered this question, figure out exactly what you would have to do and what obstacles you would have to overcome in order to achieve this goal. Now you have direction; a purpose, a mission.

R. Ian Seymour

R. Ian Seymour, excerpt from Discover Your True Potential, Louisiana USA, Pelican Publishing, p.27-28