Aspects of Purpose
The question of purpose started with the very first person to wonder “Why am I here?” Over time, the question of purpose became more specific with inquiries into “Who am I meant to be?” and “What is the most meaningful and fulfilling thing for me to do with my life?” as well as “Who am I meant to serve?”
At the True Purpose® Institute, we find it most useful to divide the question of purpose into four categories, because it translates the profound concept of purpose into components that can more easily be understood and applied. Each of the aspects of purpose are like facets of a jewel, and together they create the whole jewel.
Here are the four aspects of purpose in the True Purpose® model:
Essence
“Essence” is the “being” aspect of purpose. What qualities emanate from you when you are simply being in the stillness of your true nature, without engaging in any activities of doing? Your Essence describes the essential quality of your embodiment.
Your Essence is an aspect that simply radiates from your being without ceasing, and others you encounter are impacted by that Essence. They may not be aware of it in the moment, but it is always operating at a subtle level. For example, you may bring the quality of clarity, joy, truth, or love into a room.
You may not be aware of your Essence until others give you feedback about it, because you are always swimming in your own Essence. Once you learn about your Essence, at times it may feel more hidden than others, but it is always there at the core of your being.
Blessing
“Blessing” is the transformational impact that you have on others as you embody your Essence. You’ve done it your entire life without trying, because it is just the natural way you show up and interact with others.
If you get curious about what role you tend to take in a group of people, you can gather clues to your Blessing. For example, are you the one that uplifts people who are discouraged or in despair? Are you the one who turns chaos into clarity, or fear into joy?
Since you’ve done your Blessing your entire life, looking back at various jobs you’ve had can give additional clues. Tim Kelley’s first understanding of his Blessing was “To show people their path.” In fact, before becoming a purpose consultant, he used to be a navigator in the Navy.
Another example is Audrey Seymour’s Blessing, “To open up clarity and flow to those who have a mission but can’t see which way to go.” She used to lead software teams from states of chaos into smoothly functioning teams that could publish quality software, and now she leads individuals and organizations into the clarity of purpose and alignment needed to optimize their impact.
Once you understand your Blessing, everything you’ve done in your life makes sense from its underlying theme.
Mission
The concept of Mission is more familiar to most people – it’s a major task that needs to be performed. The way we use the term Mission in the True Purpose® model is specifically in the context of how you are meant to change the world, or some designated segment of it such as the Middle East.
While Blessing is an activity that you naturally repeat over and over, and that ideally you are hired to deliver, your Mission operates at much bigger scale. You can think of your Mission as the largest scale application of your Blessing.
For example, Tim Kelley’s Blessing of “To show people their path” translates into a Mission of “To show society its path.” Audrey Seymour’s Blessing of “To open up clarity and flow to those who have a mission but can’t see the way to go” translates into a Mission of “To open up the circulating flow of humanity’s collective genius.”
Often people feel overwhelmed the first time they receive their Mission, because it is usually much larger than a single individual can accomplish in a lifetime. It can take significantly longer for a Mission to be revealed in comparison with an Essence and a Blessing. In order to successfully accomplish your Mission, you will need to join forces with others sharing your Mission.
Since the beneficiary of a Mission is larger than an individual or an organization, you will typically also need to seek funding to be compensated for your Mission-based work.
Message
Your Message is the sacred wisdom you are meant to share with the world, or a specific population that needs to hear it. It is the deepest truth you can deliver. As you deliver your message, both you and the recipients are transformed from the power of your truth.
Here are some examples of Messages:
- “Every part of you contributes to your magnificence. Leave no part behind, but rather, embrace and heal them all into wholeness.”
- “It is imperative that we transform business from an ego-driven to a purpose-directed activity.”
Some individuals are meant to share their message on a big scale, and they are called to writing, public speaking, songwriting, teaching and/or leadership. Often they find themselves in the spotlight before they have full clarity on the wisdom that is uniquely theirs to share.
Purpose = Essence + Blessing + Mission + Message
I am my essence.
I give my blessing.
I fulfill my mission.
I share my message.
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