Purpose in Practice: Three Simple Ways to Stay in Conversation with Your "Why" — Centre for Coaching Switzerland

Purpose in Practice: Three Simple Ways to Stay in Conversation with Your “Why”

Daniel Ahlers

Purpose in Practice: Three Simple Ways to Stay in Conversation with Your “Why”

Purpose is not something you define once and file away. It’s a living conversation — one we return to again and again, especially in moments of change, transition, or stretch. This month’s practices are designed to help you reconnect with your “why” in ways that are simple, practical, and meaningful.

 

1. Complete the Sentence: “The Purpose of This Gathering Is to…”

Whether you’re leading a meeting, having a coaching session, or hosting a family conversation, pause and invite everyone to complete this sentence.

“The purpose of this gathering is to…”

This practice, inspired by Peter Hawkins, does two things: it invites clarity and connection. It reminds us that even ordinary moments can hold extraordinary intention when we name what they’re truly about.

Try this once a week and notice what changes in tone, attention, and trust.

 

2. Pause and Reflect: A Micro-Journaling Prompt

At the start or end of your day, take five quiet minutes and complete the following:

  • Today, I felt most purposeful when…
  • The values I lived today were…
  • One thing I can do tomorrow to move closer to my purpose is…

And at the end of the week, take some time to reflect on the question:

  • What is it that I can uniquely do that the world of tomorrow needs?

This practice is about cultivating eudaimonic awareness — bringing attention to the moments that align with meaning, not just output.

 

3. A Purpose Walk — Alone or With a Partner

Choose a walk (20–30 minutes is enough). During the walk, reflect on the following:

  • What do I feel drawn toward right now?
  • Where am I already making a difference — even if I don’t always see it?
  • Who or what am I in service of?

If walking with someone else, take turns sharing reflections. Then pause at the end and simply ask: What did you notice?

This embodied practice helps loosen the grip of overthinking and lets purpose emerge from deeper within.

Try one. Or all three.
And most importantly: don’t do it alone. Purpose lives in relationship to self, to others, and to the world around you. So reach out, reflect together, and stay in the conversation.