I came across this great SlideShare by OfficeVibe CEO, Dan Benoni, the other day. Not only does it represent impeccable slide design and narrative form, but it also provides a great message and some very tangible takeaways.
The presentation is organized around the following six headings:
1. WHY knowing your purpose is crucial
2. Five powerful BENEFITS you can reap
3. How to find YOUR PURPOSE with 3 simple questions
4. Nine inspiring EXAMPLES of life purposes
5. Six essential HACKS to live your purpose
6. The most important REMINDER to apply those tips
Out of all the slides and messages in the presentation, it was the following that stood out to me most:
The reason I love this slide so much is that it crystallizes what can sometimes appear to be a very complex question (life purpose) and reduces it to three simple questions. These questions are incredibly helpful reminders as I near the end of my PhD program and am about to embark upon a job search. I especially appreciate the author’s including a question about impact–How could the world be improved? I think sometimes I (and others) may get caught up in thinking about career in terms of advancement and achievements. I find this question grounding and a good reminder to look at the larger picture. As Robin Williams said in Dead Poets Society:
To quote from Whitman, ‘O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ Answer. That you are here — that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?
Pb 
I was very suspect of this article, but I think it can be a great resource to help some of my RAs brainstorm these concepts further. It’s more of a helpful way to process this concept than anything else I was originally thinking.