Why Finding Your Purpose Early Matters More Than Ever

We often ask young people, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” 
But maybe the better question, especially for students today, is: “Who do you want to be?” 

If you are in school or university, you have probably felt the pressure to figure everything out quickly. Courses. Career paths. Internships. In a world that is constantly changing, it can feel overwhelming. 

But here is the truth: careers and lives are rarely linear. They are not meant to follow one straight path. 

You will grow. You will explore. You might shift direction. And that is completely normal. 

Having something steady to guide you through these choices can make a big difference. That is where purpose comes in. 

Purpose gives you a sense of direction. It can help you make decisions that feel right for you, even when the next step is unclear. 

*Recent data shows: 

• Only 22% of young professionals say they have a clear sense of purpose in their work 

• While 70% of university students say they want meaningful, purposeful work, most do not know how to define it 

• Those with a strong sense of purpose are four times more likely to feel engaged and 64% more likely to feel fulfilled 

Purpose is not optional. It’s the foundation everything else is built on. 

But finding it is not always simple, especially when you are asking yourself: 

• What if what motivates me does not align with what society expects? 

• What if my family wants something different for me? 

• Does purpose change over time? 

• What if I enjoy many different things? 

These are all valid questions. And many students ask them as they try to understand what really matters to them. 

Purpose is not about having everything figured out or choosing one path forever. It is personal. It can evolve as you grow. And while you can learn from others, no one else can define it for you. 

It is about noticing the clues - your values, your interests, the kind of work that energises you, and learning how to focus on what feels meaningful to you. 

The more you pay attention to these signals, the more confident you will feel in making choices that reflect who you are and the life you want to create. 

Clarity does not come all at once. It builds as you reflect, explore, and learn from your experiences. 

I recently co-hosted a webinar with The Asia Foundation for university students on this topic. We explored how purpose can act as a compass, how values guide decision-making, and how leaders from different fields found direction, sometimes in surprising ways. Some of the student questions sparked conversations that added new depth and opened up fresh perspectives. 

If you are asking yourself these questions, the session might be a useful starting point. 
Watch it here:

Because finding your purpose is not about having all the answers.  It starts with asking better questions. 

*Data Sources: McKinsey (2021), Handshake (2022), PwC (2020), Imperative & LinkedIn (2016), Deloitte (2022)