There’s a beautiful moment that happens when your why becomes clear — when your inner voice aligns with your outer work, and what you do begins to feel like who you are. This alignment is where purpose and intention meet. It’s where our energy shifts from simply doing to being.
Simon Sinek teaches that “people don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” He wasn’t just talking about business, he was describing life. When we know our why, everything else follows. Purpose becomes our compass. Intention becomes our daily practice. Together, they guide us to create a life not just of success, but of significance.
Listening for the Whispers
In Oprah Winfrey’s The Path Made Clear, she writes, “Passion whispers to you through your feelings, beckoning you toward your highest good.” Her book invites us to listen to that quiet inner knowing that often gets drowned out by busyness, fear, or comparison.
Years ago, I attended an event where Oprah spoke about intention. She said, “An intention is the first whisper of purpose you bring to what you do or say. It is the why behind the why.” Those words have stayed with me ever since. They remind me that purpose is not a goal we achieve but a presence we cultivate, it is a way of living each day with clarity and care.
That day, as we moved, danced, reflected, and journaled, Oprah invited us to look at seven areas of our lives — emotions, learning, work, nutrition, movement, purpose, and relationships — and notice where we felt aligned or disconnected. Through that reflection, I began to see how purpose threads through every part of our being. It’s not one big moment; it’s many small ones, shaped by intention and attention.
The Power of Why
Simon Sinek says our “why” is born from our story, from the experiences that shaped us and the people who’ve inspired us. For me, my why has always centered around growth, connection, and well-being. It’s why I teach. It’s why I lead. It’s why I continue to learn.
When we live from our why, work transforms into service. Challenges become teachers. Even setbacks carry meaning. Knowing your why helps you stay grounded when life feels uncertain and gives you the courage to take the next right step, even when you can’t see the whole path.
Creating a Life of Meaning
Oprah, Simon Sinek, Brené Brown, Michelle Obama, and so many others remind us that purpose is not only deeply personal, it’s also collective. We find meaning when we use our gifts in service of others. You don’t have to be on a big stage to make an impact. Purpose happens in classrooms, living rooms, boardrooms, and yoga studios — wherever your presence brings light.
I often tell my students that intention is energy in motion. It’s how we align our thoughts, words, and actions with our deepest values. Setting an intention isn’t about controlling the outcome; it’s about choosing the energy we bring to it. When we combine purpose with intention, we begin to live with more ease, awareness, and joy.
“An intention is the first whisper of purpose you bring to what you do or say. It is the why behind the why.”
— Oprah Winfrey
Reflection Prompts
As you think about your own journey, take a moment to pause and reflect:
- What is your why — the deeper reason behind what you do?
- What intentions guide your choices each day?
- How can you use your unique strengths to make a difference?
- Where do you feel most aligned and most alive?
Write, walk, or simply breathe with these questions. The answers are already within you. They’re waiting in the quiet moments, in the whispers of your heart.
Purpose doesn’t have to be grand. It just has to be yours. When you live with intention, you begin to notice how each moment, even the ordinary ones, holds extraordinary meaning.
So today, pause.
Get quiet.
Listen.
Trust.
Feel.
Believe.
Your path will become clear.