Day 4 — Purpose

Time: ~80 min · Goal: name what you’re here to contribute.

Purpose sits at the intersection of what you’re good at, what energizes you, and what the world needs from you specifically.

1. Unfair advantages (15 min)

What can you do, or do you see, that most people can’t or don’t? Don’t be modest — this isn’t bragging, it’s inventory.

Skills (technical and otherwise):

skills: ______________________

Experiences that gave you unusual perspective:

experiences: ______________________

Networks or access:

networks: ______________________

Ways of thinking that feel natural to you but aren’t to others:

ways of thinking: ______________________

2. Who and what (20 min)

Who do you want to be useful to? Be specific — not “people” but a particular kind of person or group.

who: ______________________
What problem of theirs do you want to help with?

problem: ______________________
What would change in their world if you did your work well?

what changes: ______________________

3. The contribution question (15 min)

Finish these sentences (multiple times if needed):

“The world has enough . It needs more .”
“The world has enough . It needs more .”
“When I’m gone, I want it to be harder for people to ______ because of work I did.”
“The unique combination I bring is + + ______.”

4. Draft three purpose statements (20 min)

Write three different versions — different angles, different lengths. Don’t try to make any one perfect.

Format: “To [verb] [for/with whom] [so that what].”

Examples:

“To help the people I love feel genuinely known, so no one close to me carries things alone.”

“To make the backcountry more accessible to people who weren’t raised in it.”

To ______________________________
To ______________________________
To ______________________________

5. The eulogy test (10 min)

Imagine someone who knows you well speaking at your funeral. What would you want them to be able to say honestly about what you spent your life on?

eulogy: ______________________

Compare against your three drafts. Which one rings truest?

Draft # — because

✓ End of Day 4 deliverable

A working purpose statement. It will keep evolving — that’s fine. → Continue to Day 5 — Synthesis.