Purpose: North Star or Life Long Path?

Posted on May 04, 2025 by Sasja Zwinkels, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Many people see a purpose as a north star far in the future and impossible to reach. It’s as if it’s a one off thing, that in case you are one of those rare people who have reached it, you are basically done with your life. But why start looking for it at all if it’s so far out of reach?

However, I see purpose as more of a life path that is aligned with our inner wish. It’s a path in which we are able to bring the best of ourselves into the world and do what we truly love. It’s a direction we decide to take in which we are able to bring in our unique skills and where we keep developing ourselves. As we walk the path that feels right to us, there will be different achievements along the way and new goals will continue to come. The most important question to ask yourself in each moment is; How can I be of best service to others in this point of time? As you keep developing yourself, your path will keep showing it’s way forward and changes directions every now and then. Once you have chosen the path that is right for you, the right opportunities will come your way and the next steps will reveal itself.

So if we can see a purpose more as a path direction you decide to take, instead of a single far away destination, we can actually see that it is something within reach. All that is needed is that first decision to take a step into the direction that feels like the right one for you. The rest will follow as your path reveals itself.

However, when we walk the wrong path and are not following our heart’s wish, more and more challenges will arise. “Activity without purpose is the drain to the quality of your life” – Tony Robbins. This is the irony: most people decide to stay with what looks the easiest: they choose safety by continuing their job and doing what they are told to do, even though they feel unhappy with their life. They don’t know that they are actually making their life harder. If you are walking a path that is not giving you fulfilment and doesn’t bring out the best of you, you are not going to be as successful. The opportunities that life will throw at you will be less. There is even a high chance that life will give you more and more challenges, all in the hope that you will decide to change your direction.

Purpose also doesn’t need to be only career wise. For some people a purpose might be to build a family, to pursue hobbies or to do voluntary work, with which they can share their gifts with others and make a contribution. Your purpose can change between your career and life span over time. The point is; let’s look at purpose as a life long path that keeps evolving, with new goals and achievements along the way. Your moment to take that first step into the direction that your heart is calling for is now!