Chapter 3: Examining Purpose to Strengthen Mentoring’s Impact on At-Promise Youth

It is a common belief that when people live purposeful lives, we all benefit. Our passion, our joy, our unique voice—these enrich the world we all live in. Living our purpose is a gift. A gift to ourselves, a gift to our family and friends, and a gift to the world. Purpose is a central element in life that defines our actions, generates goals, and provides us with a sense of meaning (McKnight & Kashdan, 2009). Purpose is also a developmental asset (Scales, 1999) with a host of protective factors that can help our young people navigate through adolescence with higher life satisfaction and wellbeing (Bronk et al., 2009; Steger, 2012). When students come to understand what their purpose is, it leads to increased motivation on their part to work hard in school (Bronk, 2014). Students, who connect the dots between their academic efforts and how these learnings will help them make a meaningful contribution to the world are more likely to be engaged in school (Damon, 2009). In this way, purpose can serve as the key that turns on intrinsic motivation, resulting in greater school success.