The 3 P’s

There are defining moments and parts of our lives that shape where and what we do in life. The Big 3 of what you do, where you live, and who you are with are one such grouping that can be used. Another more individualistic categorization is the three P’s. Passion. Pursuits. Purpose. Passions give you energy. Pursuits are what you chase. Purpose is your reason why. Having a fundamental understanding of all three give you clarity for what your role on Earth is. Through understanding the three P’s you are able to live the life you were meant to live.

Passion and passions are where your interests reside. You have the ability to have countless passions in your life. Passions can be fleeting like a spark, lasting only a couple of weeks or months. Or passions can be everlasting like an eternal flame, lasting for a lifetime. It is very common to have different passions because passions are the activities, events, and tasks you find yourself drawn to. As your interests change, the energy certain tasks bring you will also change. You will be drawn to different things as this change happens. Passions are the things you do.

Pursuits are the goals and achievements you chase in life. They are the light at the end of the tunnel as you work to progress through the levels of life. Pursuits give you a reason for doing what you enjoy doing and a reason to try and improve. Pursuits prevent sedentary, routine, and static life. With pursuits, you must maintain an edge and seek ways to improve. Otherwise, you will risk failure and not obtaining what you are seeking. Pursuits are the mountaintops of life you aim to climb.

Purpose is the overarching umbrella for why you do everything. You will probably have many passions and you will probably also have many pursuits but your purpose is your why for doing any of these. Once your purpose is known it is longstanding and is your life’s guiding light and principal. People become doctors because they have a purpose for helping people. Any interest in medicine, learning, and working with patients stems from this underlying purpose. When you understand your purpose, you understand the activities and events that lead you in that general direction. Purpose is your reason for living the life you do.

Understanding where your passions, pursuits, and purpose reside is not an overnight task. It takes countless bouts of trial and error and sometimes years of self-reflection to understand yourself on a level where you know the answers to all of the three P’s. But once you do know them, your life opens up with crystal clear clarity. The direction of your life will follow the direction of your three P’s.