Finding Your Life Mission: Interview Yourself

A company will conduct extensive interviews to find the right candidate for a job opening. What makes these interviews so nerve-wracking is that your every answer figures into whether you’re a good fit or not. From introductory chitchat to details about past success and failures, the interview questions are carefully crafted to learn about you, your work ethic and an overview of your skills.

Why not take a cue from a job interview when you’re floundering in the search for your life’s mission and take the time to interview yourself? You might end up surprised at what you learn about yourself when you drop your guard and get honest with yourself. Unlike a job interview, this process can be done over time and will work best when you delve deeper than your first response.

Interview Questions

1. What did you love as a child?Go back to your childhood self and explore what you couldn’t imagine not doing as an adult. What still resonates within you and go deeper than before? Was your childhood ambition to be a doctor fueled by a need to care for others or by the desire to know how the human body works? By pin-pointing what drove your childhood ambitions, you can gain a better understanding of what drives you and how you can use your skill set to manifest that innate drive.

2. What gets you so excited that you embarrass yourself?You know that thing in life that gets you so excited you can’t stop talking—even when it becomes embarrassing or socially awkward? What’s that thing? Are you driven to an excited babbling frenzy by scientific research or a new program to help the hungry?

3. What’s worth the sacrifice?As any parent can tell you love doesn’t always make everything pleasant, enjoyable or easy, but in the end the hard times are worth it. What is worth to you despite the inevitable frustration or stress that will occur as you work towards your life’s mission? What will keep you going towards the goal in spite of challenges and setbacks?

4. How can I add value?What’s your special skill set and how can you use your talents to add value to the world? Do you have a talent for organizing and record keeping and a desire to make the world a better place? Volunteer to keep the books for a non-profit that aligns with your interests. Take time to explore how your special interests and your skill set can intersect to add value.

5. What are your natural strengths?Look at your innate talents and strengths to help you uncover what drives you and how that can direct you to your life’s mission. At the same time, don’t be afraid to look at your weaknesses too. Carefully analyze how your natural strengths play against your weaknesses and see what you can do to work with both.

As you interview yourself and begin your journey of self-discovery, it’s important to remember that this process is about you and what you do with your life. It’s not about what other people expect you to do or what you’re good at—but what difference do you want to make in the world.