As a millennial a question that always comes up is what we want to achieve and what our goals are in general. Luckily, I've had the privilege to surround my self by like-minded people and that has shown me, that there is a huge focus on purpose in the quest of finding ourselves. Adam Poswolsky author of the Quarter Lifesays, "despite the job crisis, 75% of millennials are not motivated by money, rather they are motivated when they know they are making a difference."
Nevertheless, the fact that studies have shown that millennials are in fact motivated by influencing change, conversing with people in general has proven to me that the other 25%, are more motivated by the monetary benefits of what they do, which is understandable as it does remain a necessity in our day to day life.
However, the problem with that is that their intrinsic sense of fulfillment is never satisfied, much like, wanting to get a phone when your friends get a phone, and wanting to find a job when your friends find a job. If you are guilty of the lines of purpose and achieving an unattainable standard of living blurring, here's how you could understand your purpose.
Know yourself
Knowing yourself is a precondition to understanding your self worth, Jim Cathcart explains in his talks about the importance of knowing who you are, and knowing what you care about, what you know you're smart in and not in comparison to others. Knowing yourself encompasses understanding your ethics and knowing "what motivates you to make your choices" according to Cathcart.
Self-awareness is one of the most important characteristics that ultimately leads to higher self-confidence. Ultimately, being self aware according to Bradley Foster Founder of Giant Step Coaching, allows individuals to understand the root causes of their reactions.
The importance of self-reflection has taught me how to understand my flaws and work better to improve them, and it has also taught me the flaws that I love within myself that I would not change. I found that I've learnt how to better deal with my self through expression on a piece of paper, and that varies from one person to another.
Practice your purpose
Adam Leipzig is the CEO of Entertainment Media Partner, discusses the importance of understanding your life purpose. In one of his TED talks he discusses what most people do not know coming straight out of college, in their mid-twenties and even when they've reached their late 50s.
Leipzig discusses 5 major questions you should ask yourself before knowing your life's purpose, "who you are, what you love to do, who you do it for, what do those people want and need, and finally how they change and transform as a result of what you give them." Leipzig goes on to explain how the happiest people are those that are 'outward facing' meaning they use their strengths to change and effect other people.
Statistically, according to Leipzig's talk the "most successful people are those who know WHO they serve, rather than how they are serving themselves." As mentioned earlier, the fact that 75% of millennials want to make an influence, serving the people you're targeting, is going to differentiate you in your field.
Challenge the status quo
Barkley, a Kansas based agency conducted research on millennials who described success in personal terms, more than older generations. Seventy-nine percent define success as "doing what you are passionate about." That seems fair.
However, it's the result-oriented approach we take that usually dwindles our path to achieving what we want. Simon Sinek discusses how even companies that achieve the most are the ones that challenge the status quo, and believe in what they are doing. I am a big believer in this notion, because whenever I set a goal that I want to achieve by next year and somehow it doesn't work out the way I want it to, I get lost in my own negativity and I ask myself why I didn't get to where I want, and I slowly start thinking why it isn't working out for me the way it worked out for Anna Wintour, or J. K. Rowling (big shoes to fill). However, my own observations tell me that those who achieve the most are more often than not in disbelief, those who live in the now usually achieve more than those who live in "what could be", because they go with what does not seem like the 'norm' in their unique way -- influencing change.