The reason why something is done, made, or exists; the goal or aim behind an action.
From Old French *porpos* or *pourpos*, from Latin *propositum* meaning 'something set forth, plan', from *proponere* ('to put forward'). It has always carried the sense of something you set out to do.
Purpose is like a compass: it doesn’t tell you how fast to go, but it tells you which way matters. Research shows that people who feel they have a purpose—even a small one—often handle stress and setbacks better.
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