“Information is not knowledge.” ~Einstein
A few years ago I was lost. Frustrated. Scared. Unsure. Anxious. Trapped. Unfulfilled. Stuck in a dead-end job. Smothered by society’s expectations. Didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do with my life.
I cared for myself enough to change my life, but I didn’t have the slightest clue where to start. I spent my days wishing that things would change—that I could escape a life that my soul could no longer bear.
The worst part of all, I was living the life that society had always told me to live. “Find a secure job, work hard,” they would say. “Get a solid job and work your way up the ladder.”
I don’t know about you, but it turns out that for me, the “right thing to do” sucked the joy out of life.
Imagine feeling trapped in an unsatisfying existence. Wasting your precious time doing things that you really don’t want to be doing. Being afraid to express your uniqueness. Having fun on the weekends then dreading the upcoming week. Maybe you don’t have to imagine it; maybe your life is just like mine was, few moments of satisfaction drowned out by a constant grind of work that doesn’t fulfill you.
Then something hit me. It was a proverbial hammer to my head. I’d heard it before, but it had never sunk in. Then, as if out of nowhere, a voice in my head spoke loudly and clearly.
“Discover who you truly are and fully give every aspect of your uniqueness to the world. This is your path to an extraordinary life.”
I followed this wisdom as if my life depended on it. And I can tell you that my life has changed for the better since I followed this guidance.
I can tell you without any doubt that the greatest piece of wisdom that I’ve discovered in my life thus far is this:
If you want to live an extraordinary life it is imperative that you know who you truly are, and to do so you must explore who you truly are.
These 6 questions changed my life forever. They will also change your life forever by allowing you to find your true self, and in doing so, discover why you’ve been born into this great world.
I’m not talking about the “self’” that others demand you to be or the self that acts a certain way to fit in and conform with what society accepts. I’m talking about the true you—the you who wants to authentically express your special and unique qualities to the world.
By answering these questions you will discover your unique passions, strengths, values, desires, and motivations, which are all yearning for your expression.
You have a unique purpose. Discovering the answers to these questions will allow you to align yourself with that purpose and bring real magic into your life.
Self-knowledge is the greatest knowledge that you will ever acquire. Why? Because your ability to fulfill your unique internal drive will determine your ability to fulfill your potential, which in turn determines the quality of your life.
The questions below are designed to help to know yourself deeply and find what is truly important to you. We all have an unexpressed potential; the exercises are specifically designed to help you find yours.
1. What do I absolutely love in life?
List anything that you love about the world and the people in your life. Think about any activities that get you excited and enthusiastic and make you feel most alive. This can be absolutely anything: music, sports, cooking, teaching others, learning, watching movies—anything. Within your love for these things lies deep passion.
2. What are my greatest accomplishments in life so far?
List all of the moments that you are proud of as well as the times that you’ve succeeded. To have accomplished these, you would have used some of your key strengths. See if you can identify why you succeeded. Also, list any activities, hobbies, or anything else that you do that you complete with ease. Within these lie greatest strengths.
3. What would I stand for if I knew no one would judge me?
List everything that you would do if you weren’t afraid, even your wildest dreams. This will help you discover your greatest values.
4. If my life had absolutely no limits and I could have it all and do whatever I wanted, what would I choose to have and what would I choose to do?
Describe your ideal lifestyle. List what you would do throughout the day if you knew that you were bound to be successful, what kind of person you would be, how much money you would earn, and where you would live.
This question allows you to realize who you would truly want to be if there were no limits. By aligning with this you can begin working towards the life that you truly want to create. Know that you wouldn’t have a desire if you didn’t also have the ability to fulfil it.
5. What would I do if I had one billion dollars?
List everything that you would really love to do if you had all the money in the world. Okay, so you would probably travel the world, buy a house or two, and give some money to your family. Then what would you do with your time?
This question helps you to think without limitations. When we are able to remove limitations and boundaries, we can discover what we really want to do.
6. Who do I admire most in the world?
List your greatest inspirations and the qualities that you admire about these people. Think about what really inspires you in this world. What you admire about others is also a quality that is in you. Know that you admire someone because they have similar qualities to you.
Taking the time to answer these questions will change your life. The more that you can implement your passions, strengths, values, desires, and motivations into your days, the happier your life will become!
You can study to become a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or anything else, but this knowledge will only take you so far. Meanwhile, discovering the deep wisdom of self-knowledge will ensure that your life is far more meaningful and fulfilling. I’ve got a feeling that is what Einstein meant when he said “Information is not knowledge.”
The most valuable knowledge that you will ever discover is, and always will be, within.
Photo by Vinny123
About James McWhinney
James McWhinney is the author of The Wellbeing Revolution. James is committed to living an incredible life and empowering others to do the same. If you want to boost the love, happiness, and fulfillment in your life, check out his website at premiumgrounding.au.
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 
i agree – self knowledge, or rather i advocate self-aawarness is crucial to personal development
it’s about understanding our underlying emotions and hence behaviour
Noch Noch
This is by far one of the best posts I have read on this website. Very powerful & helpful. Thank you.
This was an excellent post – thought-provoking and true. Once you get on your path, follow your inner guidance and take action, EVERYTHING changes.
very good ideas…thank you!
Great post. I’ve passed it along to my 18 year old daughter who is trying to figure out a career path. Hopefully this will help her make some great choices and avoid the years of slogging that so many of us have had.
What if we try and have no answers for these questions? I have no one that I admire. My greatest accomplishment is the fact that I’ve gone 32 years faking my way through life and not ending it.
Great article! This may be the best article I’ve seen on this site. You should post more often.
Very inspiring and deep enough to dig within and bring out your true calling!!!
”
Imagine feeling trapped in an unfulfilling existence. ”
Sounds like parenting.
I really like this post. I answered all the questions. Now what do I do with that info? I could find a way to have any of those things I would have by now. I’m not sure if I understand. Thanks.
I would love for my son to learn these powerful lessons at an early age.
I think you nailed it, a lot of us don’t have to imagine living an unfulfilling existence, even if there are momentary interludes of contentment.
What if one has a very good idea of who they are, what inspires them, how to tap into that and be nurtured by it…yet we still feel this way more often than not?
This was a great article, and by no means am I saying all of this to challenge the positive message contained within. I just think that for myself personally, identifying these things is merely a start. It’s knowing where to go from there that’s the challenge, as well as not losing site of it when the world starts to feel like its crushing your soul…
Thank you for this. I have been in this weird transition phase where I feel trapped and I have been unsure of how to get where I am supposed to go. I know I need to do some more digging within myself and I have the loving support of my family while I try to figure things out.
Wow, I’m sorry you feel that way. I hope, if you are a parent, you can figure out how to make it more meaningful and fulfilling, not only for you, but for your child(ren), and if you are childless, there is absolutely nothing wrong with staying that way, don’t let societal “norms” dictate that you should marry and have a family. Parenthood is not for everyone. Good luck no matter which camp you are in.
It has taken me more than 60 years to finally do what I have longed for. These are great questions. What’s important is how you act on your answers.
I feel I was more aware of who I really am, and living as that person, at 18 years old than I am now at 58. ‘Life’ happened. I allowed my life to become the same as those I viewed at 20 as pathetic and sad…”who in the world allows themselves 2 weeks a year to do something, somewhere, that makes you happy?” I need that ‘ free to be me’ life again. I want to leave this life living and being THAT person. Maybe it took being diagnosed with cancer to here. I just hope I have the courage to do it! The questionnaire is a great tool…
I have been so busy recently that I haven’t been able to really sit down and read Tiny Buddah for the last few weeks. I suddenly decided to start today, and man and I happy that I did! What an excellent blog! Like a lot of other readers, this may be one of the best I have read on this site yet!
I need to go write all my answers down but I was able to mentally go over them and even doing that, I immediately found the few things that have always called me. My struggle has always been what to actually do with that knowledge! A couple of my “passions” require a lot of money and although I am unbelievably thankful I married a man that has some cash flow… It doesn’t always help! A lot of people in the “profession” come from old money and it has predominantly remained that way over the years. What do you do to get past an issue like that?
GREAT article…absolutely loved it!! I will try to answer the 6 questions… don’t know what could happen after that… 🙂 thanks!
I feel bad for you , but I can relate about not being able to answer most of the questions. Life can be so hard, but I think you just have faith in the Lord and he will always be there for you. It’s good that you are reading blogs and articles like this. That’s a very positive thing to do! Bless you!
OMG! This is exactly what I feel every single day of my life. Who am I? What purpose do I have in life? Is there anything in life that I can do to be happy? Why am I alive? Thank you James for sharing this with us. I will definitely try this; after all, I have nothing to lose.
Have you ever heard the expression “fake it till you make it”? You say you’ve been faking it for 32 years. I would imagine that you’ve learned far more than you’re giving yourself credit for. Something is working in your life – what is it?
WOW! Great article! Thanks!!!
If you continually question your consciousness, the answers will come. It took me a long process of continual questioning to truly find the answers that i needed. You’ll recieve them eventually 🙂
Glad you liked it Tanya!
Awareness is the first step, and a great step indeed. Now that you’ve answered these questions you are aware of your greatest passions, strengths and values. The next step is to introduce your passions strengths and values into your life as much as you possibly can. Let them be your guiding stars. The more that you can bring these things into your life, the closer you will be to fulfilment of your purpose, which is simply to give your unique traits to the world 🙂
Great to hear. Let me know how you go!
Glad this resonates with you. Let me hold you accountable to trying this, i want you to tell me your answers once you’ve discovered them!
I was also in that phase Sara. I believe 100% that these phases we go through are brought into our lives to give us a nudge in the right direction, and here you are!
I think the biggest thing for me was the discovery that we will never jump from who we currently are to who we depply desire to be. As long as we hope for a quick transition, nothing ever happens. However, if we take baby steps and begin by implementing our passions, strengths and values into our current reality, we gradually build momentum.
You will always feel discontentment – everyone does. But as you implement your unique traits into your life more and more, the discontentment will become much rarer, in fact, you’ll find that your highs get higher and your lows will also get higher.
Use baby steps to build momentum!
I’m glad you liked the article Jodie 🙂 If you’d like some extra guidance, feel free to email me james@thewellbeingrevolution.com and we can discuss this.
It’s great that you’ve developed such a great sense of awareness, Candice. Once you find your answers, the most important thing you can do is take ACTION! Take baby steps and begin by implementing your passions, strengths and values in to your life more frequently.What have you got to lose?!
Great questions, James, and very powerful ones.
I can see a lot of journalling potential in each and every one 🙂
Blessings
TANJA
It is ironic that we are so often seeking the answers to life’s great questions that we fail to realize that often finding the right questions are more helpful. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
I too have chosen to seek meaning, purpose, significance and satisfaction by understanding my heart’s desires and calling. From time to time I share a few hard learned insights on my blog in the hopes that others might find them helpful in their epic life adventure.
Andy Dix
Author, “Life Matches: Fire Up Your Life!”
http://www.lifematchesbook.wordpress.com
Candace, I too was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 38. it definitely leaves you with a lot of eye opening questions and realizations. I hope you are healing well, not just physically but in life as well. It’s a slow process sometimes but well worth it.
Jacquellyn
I’m right there with you on that one! I think thought the best way to do that is to lead by example and make them aware of asking themselves the same questions throughout their lives. The rest we can just hope they can be happy and healthy.
These are great questions! I guess I have to consider myself lucky in the sense that I have never really felt that way, at least not long enough to not just walk out of the situation. I have been a free bird my whole life and have been able to travel the world, learn many lessons through experiencing people and situations that I would not have learned any other way. I was married to a wonderful man for nine years with whom I have an amazing daughter and he and I are still very close friends. I’m even friends with his new wife and we all co-parent very well together. I have also dealt with many illnesses through the years that I think may have helped me keep wanting to be free
Oops! Hit post accidentally…
The one question I have difficulty with is #3. I have never really worried about what other people think about what I do. Is there another way of looking at that question? Of course giving a speech to a large audience scares the crap out of me, but that’s not exactly a passion of mine even though I would do it if it became part of something I was doing.
…or am I not understanding it?
Jacquellyn
Annon, if this is where you are “trapped in an unfulfulling existence” you have the power through your thoughts, and choices to change that. Open yourself up to a GREATER & BETTER existance for yourself.
FANTASTIC article!!!!! Thank you for such wonderful questions, and sharing your wisdom 🙂
Put so well. And I agree one of the best blog posts I have read!!
Really hits you at the core. I’m making changes as we speak. It definitely takes courage and persistence, 2 traits I hope to acquire.
Thankyou for the inspiration
Great post and this really summed up where I was a few years ago, love it ” “right thing to do” sucked the joy out of life.”
Great questions to get us moving towards the life we want, whilst we have to be happy with the life we have.
Thanks
Caroline
Fabulous post – I actually took a piece of paper for each question and spent time scribbling in the answers. They are now pinned to he board next to my desk so I can keep adding to them! Thank you for sharing this post. Namaste x
Wonderful post, and while I have thought of these items individually… They are moving and much more powerful together. I’ve share this with several friends.
am I the only one who looks at these questions and becomes seriously afraid to answer them? what am I afraid of…actually having to do something to bring forth change? probably so.
I’m not usually so opposed to change. in fact, I welcome it. I just don’t know why these questions scare me so.
You’re defintely not the only one who feels afraid. It takes true courage to push on through the fear, but it could be one of the most important grwoth phases that you’ll ever encounter. My tip: go for it! Your fear will quickly run away and hide as soon as you begin taking action.
Bluventures, you’re positivity is contagious :). With #3, it’s designed for you to discover what you may deeply feel but may be holding back due to fear of judgement from others. If you feel like you’re fully expressing all of your emotions and talents to the world in every aspect of your life, there is no need to find an answer. Challenge yourself to find an answer. Kudos to you if you can’t!
Number 4 has got me thinking and I’ve been writing like a mad woman about the life I want…. I seem to want it all and the life I want changes in my mind… Where I’d live what I’d do with my day but the one thing that doesn’t change in my mind is who I want to be…. ‘ll come back to this question again…..
Right! Life happens, and you begin to think that what you used to want is no longer possible. Especially while you’re raising a family; priorities must shift, and in the shifting of focus, you lose the old ideas of YOUR ideal. And if you are lucky enough to keep the old ideals in mind, maybe you can no longer afford the lifestyle or activities that used to be in that mental “pretty picture” of your life. I so hear you, Candace. I’m 44, and beginning to feel the same way as you. Who the heck am I, and how can I NOW –with these circumstances (for me, my family) — be what I’ve always wanted to be?! The best of all luck with your cancer fight. I’ll say a prayer for you tonight.
Those questions are so powerful. They’re very similar to the ones I asked myself when I began figuring out what I want my life to look like. At the moment, it looks exactly like your old life as you described it. Clock-watching my way through the working week, clinging onto the weekend for dear life. It’s no way to live. But I feel as if I’m finally clear on what I want to do, and I’m taking the steps I need to take to get there. And questions like the ones you shared were so helpful in helping me to gain clarity and start taking action.
Great post. It’s so reassuring to know that other people have been through similar experiences.
i came to this article through an online job search bootcamp on mediabistro.com which i highly recommend. it’s part philosophy, part nuts-and-bolts. you really have to do the homework to move (inch or leap) forward. all of the reading in the world isn’t going to help if you don’t put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard. i really liked your comment james about building momentum w/ tiny steps. i also think a course that delves into these life questions should be taught in high school as kids start working part-time and prepare for higher education. i never read what color is your parachute. but just handing a kid a book does not guarantee it will be read or applied to life (back to the information is not knowledge quote). and then of course these questions must be revisited throughout life as we evolve.