I've spent the last year traveling trying to find meaning in my life. What would you be willing to put yourself through to find your purpose?
I've spent a lot of time in my life searching for, sometimes running from, refinement of my talents, elimination of interesting but unfruitful sidetracks, the actions that make me the happiest person. I see it as a lifelong process.
"finding" purpose implies that it is "out there" already created for us, and we just have to stumble into it. I don't believe that for a second. I think we either make purpose(s) or we don't think about it, concerning ourselves instead with survival and day to day distractions. Personally, what I've decided to make a sort of purpose for myself (just like many other people have done) is to learn as much as I can of life, encouraging curiosity, and secondly, to value caring relationships with other people who seem like they might appreciate, or at least benefit from, it.
For me, finding purpose is refining what you are naturally good at and interested in.
I don't waste my life seeking purpose, I live it instead.
I think we make our own purpose, but maybe that's what you mean. I think, at least for me, the meaning in my life that I create is in helping and connecting with other people, and the struggle I face is that I'm so introverted that a lot of social interaction is exhausting. So, I push outside of my comfort zone and feel drained for the sake of feeling fulfilled — but it's untenable in large doses, so I'm vacillating between feeling moderately useful and feeling emotionally content.
Apparently, my purpose in life is to "find the second set of books." That' how I make my living and that's how I do my advocacy. Sadly, recovering $30 million in fraud over 13 years is much easier than trying to get public policy (particularly air quality and alternative transportation) to not fight the law of physics, chemistry, and biology.
When I was a believer, I thought my purpose was to love God and Jesus and to tell others the "good news" so as many people as possible would make it the heaven. As a non-believer, I have no desire to ponder my "purpose." That I am here as opposed to another, or no one, is amazing. When I think of all the events that had to occur for me to exist and to be here typing these words, it boggles my mind. I am here and that is good enough for me. My wish for you is that you find what makes you happy, that you consider others, and that you know how special and wonderful it is that you are here and able to ask such questions.