I wish I could write a blog post with 5 or 6 tips on finding fulfillment. Maybe it could have some catchy intro or be backed by years of research. If I did that, would it have a greater impact than sharing with you my personal thoughts on how to feel fulfilled? The truth is, I want you to feel fulfilled. I want you to have the same sense of acomplishment, contentment, and joy that I have found. My hope is that this simple post will bring you one step closer to that.

Where to look?

One of the most often asked questions regarding fulfillment is, where can I find it? Is it like a lost object that can just suddenly appear? Do you even know what it looks like to look for it? Sadly, most people wouldn’t be able to articulate what it is and therein lies the issue. You cannot search for something without knowing what it is. Fullfillment comes in many forms and varieties of complexity. What one person might consider fulfillment, another might be left wanting more. It is also made to appear that it can be found all at once as if one singular thing happens and then BOOM, your fulfilled. It is found little pieces at a time, in different places and then the pieces are constructed in your mind into the realization that finally, you have found fulfillment.

Piece by Piece

So now the next logical question would be, what do the pieces look like? The answer is simple yet incredibly complex. You have to determine what the pieces are and how many there are before you start to look. The wonderful conundrum is that you must decide how you will be fulfilled and then search for that which you have created. So amazing is the mind that you can create something that doesn’t exist and then work towards building it and still never find it. Until you do. And then you finally understand. What once was a thought, has now become a feeling. Finding fulfillment is an abstract goal that doesn’t usually fit in the that pretty little S.M.A.R.T goal box. How do you measure the feeling of fulfillment? Did you feel 3 measures of it? 10 measures of it? This makes it so difficult to define but so amazing to achieve.

What is it?

The word fulfillment is used quite often but we don’t usually reflect on what that exactly is. There is the dictionary definition which is satisfaction or happiness as a result of fully developing one’s abilities or character. So what is fulfillment to you? What abilities do you need to work on that will bring you satisfaction? What part of your character are you focused on that will cause happiness? The thought of designing your own happiness might be overwhelming but it is also empowering. You get to choose what you will develop. You get to decide how you will feel fulfilled and then all you need to do is develop the ability to do what you decided. The best news of all is that you can develop any ability you want.

Then what?

One thing you need to do to get going on the path to fulfillment is learn. If you aren’t sure where to start and have no clue what would make you feel fulfilled, then just pick something, anything to learn. In order to break free from being stuck without a vision of fulfillment, you need to bring in new ideas and perspectives. You don’t have to go back to school or take on learning a new language. Just pick something you are interested in and learn a little about it. Select a book that you have been wanting to read and then read it. You have to decide to take one small step forward. Once you begin to challenge your mind, you will start to form new ideas on the person you want to become. It is possible to feel fulfilled in your current job or current relationship. It doesn’t take making a major shift in your life, it takes one small step forward, inviting new thoughts in, and then deciding to take action. Make finding fulfillment your goal for this upcomming year.