Bellcate’s Friendology class recently completed the “keeping friends” unit with a “My Purpose Project” assignment.  The class learned about 3 important questions to ask when evaluating a friendship.

1.       Would this friend be there for me to uplift and encourage me?

2.       Can I be myself around this friend?

3.       Is this friend going in the direction that lines up with my larger purpose?

In contemplating these questions many students questioned what their larger purpose is.

“I don’t know how to evaluate this because I don’t know my larger purpose and haven’t really thought about it,” explained Bellcate Student Dakota in the class.  So, the class took an important detour to explore talents, sources of inspiration, regrets, values, challenges, strengths and behaviors in an effort to discover purpose.  Following these meaningful discussions, students learned that writing a purpose statement can change you because it supports you to think through your decisions, deeply, carefully and to align your behavior with your beliefs.  Students also learned that a purpose statement helps you choose, develop and maintain friendships that align with your purpose. Ultimately, students followed a format to develop their purpose statements.

“To”…(what you want to achieve, do or become.)

“So that”…(Reasons why it is important and who you will help.)

“I will do this by”…(Specific behaviors or actions you can take to get there.)

“Creating my purpose statement helped me feel like I really know what direction I want to go in life,” said Bellcate Student, Jackson.

“For me, completing My Purpose Project definitely made me think about what really matters to me and helps me stick to and follow what I value and believe in,” explains Bellcate Student, Jordan.

Take inspiration and using the above format…Create your own!