Purpose Vs. Objective

What is the purpose?

You might define “purpose” as a “life objective,” and you wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. But it doesn’t fully capture what a “purpose” can do for you.?

Here’s what you should know about purpose:

1. It’s?external?to you. It’s your contribution to the world. Your purpose comes down to the impact you hope to make on others.
2. It’s an?idealized image?of whom you want to be or what you want to accomplish. And, because it’s ideal, you’re always striving for it — even if you never quite reach it.
3. It’s a?broad concept.?A purpose encompasses all activities in your life, so it is broad and malleable to any given situation.
4. It’s a?long-term goal.?Your purpose defines your life's work. It's a general statement of intent that drives you. It can take years to accomplish your ideal — if you ever do.?
5. It’s your?North star.?It gives direction to everything you do and?your life a sense of meaning.

Having a purpose is the key to self-improvement. It gives you a reason to?set goals,?leverage your passions, develop stronger skills, and work toward something more significant.

Discover your purpose

To?find your calling, start by taking stock of your skills. Then ask yourself:

• Why do I have the skills I have?
• Whom can I help with my skills??

Then consider what causes you’re attracted to. Ask yourself:

• Why do I care about this cause more than others?
• How can my skills help contribute to the cause?

These questions can help you find a purpose and zero in on?what you care about.

Example purposes

There are no rules for?what your life purpose can be. They’re as unique as the individual who conjures them. Here are some examples of what a?purpose statement?looks like:

• “I want to be the best possible parent for my kids.”
• “I want to help people feel good about themselves.”
• “I want to help build a more compassionate community.”
• “I want to bring people joy.”
• “I want to share knowledge with others.”

Each of these focuses on building an idealized version of something external. Once you make your own, the challenge is to start working on it.

What is an objective?

Objectives are your purpose in motion. They consist of specific actions that bring you closer to the?goals dictated by your purpose.

You might wonder: what’s the purpose of aims and objectives? Why do you need them if you already know your purpose?

Objectives lead you to your end result. You need to move forward to fulfill your purpose by setting clear expectations for yourself.?

How to set an objective?

Think of your objectives as the?goal-setting strategy?you'll use. Once you know the objective, you can decide how to pursue it best. The key to setting good objectives is to use the?SMART method:

1. Specific: Your objective should have a clear desired outcome in mind. Paint a picture. What does success look like?
2. Measurable: How will you know that you’ve reached your objective? You should be able to measure and define it easily.
3. Achievable: You should be able to achieve your desired results with the skills you have now. If not, you may need to add extra steps to your plan.
4. Realistic: Good objectives are also within reach. Don’t aim to be CEO of a Fortune 500 in two years if you’re currently working in the mailroom.?
5. Time-bound. Set clear deadlines and timeframes for all of your tasks.

The main differences between purpose and objective

So are purpose and objective the same thing? They’re similar in that they provide guidance. But that’s where the similarities end. Let’s review the key differences:

1. Purposes are long-term, meaningful goals. Objectives are short-term goals.
2. You pursue a purpose because it makes you happy. You pursue an objective because it helps you fulfill your purpose.
3. The purposes are broad and abstract. Objectives are concrete, focused, and measurable.
4. It’s challenging to achieve your purpose. Objectives are designed to be achievable.
5. People typically only have one purpose, whereas achieving a purpose requires many objectives.
6. Purposes are rigid — they’re a single thing guiding your life. You can adapt objectives to overcome obstacles.?
7. Purpose takes a long time to achieve — maybe even an entire lifetime. Objectives are?focused on tasks?due within the day, week, or month.

6 tips for setting objectives in your life

If you're struggling to set your first objectives, first, make sure you've?identified your purpose. Then, use these few tips to set your first goals and start moving toward your purpose:

• Use the SMART method
• Know that?mistakes happen, but that?doesn’t mean you’re failing
• Reward yourself?when you reach an objective?
• Be resilient?when you feel like quitting?
• Keep?a positive attitude?
• Track your progress?so you can see how far you’ve come?

Article Source: BETTERUP