What is the difference between your passion and your purpose? As a coach, I often hear my clients get these two concepts mixed up. In short, your passion can be defined as your what and your purpose can be defined as your why. A very experienced life coach I recently spoke with made the distinction in this way. “Your passion is what lights you up and your purpose is what lights others up.” Your passion can get you started and your purpose is what keeps you going. 

When I went on my own personal fitness journey in January of 2019, it began with a passion to improve my health and wellness. More specifically, I determined that I wanted to lose 70 pounds in 2019 and commit myself to a healthier lifestyle. I had tried losing weight before with mixed results. What would make this time different? I hired a coach and he explained the program I would be following. He then had me identify my what, the specific goal I was aiming to reach. I assumed we were now ready to begin the plan. Before starting, the coach mentioned there was one more important thing we needed to do. The time had come for me to determine my why. My mentor explained that the exercise of identifying my purpose would ultimately help fuel my motivation to make decisions that aligned with the goal I had set for myself. Once I put pen to paper, I was very shocked at the number of reasons that bubbled to the surface. The intensive reflection brought purpose into the light. Before I knew it, I had amassed 13 different why sentences. A few examples of my purpose statements included to lower my blood pressure, and to improve my longevity. To serve as a daily reminder, I printed off copies of my purpose statements and taped them to my closet and bedroom doors. 

My coach’s strategy of having me define both my passion and purpose had a very profound impact on my mindset and behavior. As a result of having so much clarity, the whys behind my what helped me create a significant pivot with my eating plan. I also developed a consistent exercise regimen and improved habits of self-care including drinking more water and getting more rest. As a result, I was able to lose 75 pounds in five months and completely transform my overall health and well-being.

There are other important distinctions to be made between passion and purpose. We can have many passions throughout our lifetime, and they can change as we evolve. What you are enthusiastic about today may change dramatically over the years. On the other hand, your purpose is generally more stable and focused over time. Together, passion and purpose are powerful allies. When these two forces meet at a crossroads, the impact on our lives can be astounding.