The Female Leader's Complete Guide to Finding Vision and Purpose Without Having All the Answers

You know that feeling when you're in back-to-back meetings, answering your team's questions, coordinating family logistics between calls—and your mentor asks, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" And your mind goes completely blank?

Because honestly? You have so many ideas, so many voices telling you to go in different directions, that the overwhelm has you paralyzed. You can't figure out which path is actually yours and which one you're following because someone else said you should.

If you've ever thought, "I don't have a purpose" or "I'm tired of being where I am, but I don't know where I want to go," I see you. Finding clarity on your vision and purpose doesn't mean you need to map out every detail of the next ten years. You just need to understand where you are in your journey right now—the overall chapter, not the exact page.

That's where real clarity begins.

Why Finding Your Purpose Feels So Hard

Life feels unpredictable. You've made plans before, and they didn't pan out. Maybe your company's downsizing. Maybe a family emergency threw everything off course. Maybe you're just exhausted from trying to hold it all together.

So you think, "Why bother planning if I can't control what happens anyway?"

I get it. You're not wrong to feel that way.

But here's what I've learned: clarity doesn't require control.

You don't need perfect conditions to start building a vision that works for you. You need permission to work with what you have right now and tools to help you move forward even when the path isn't completely clear. You can give yourself that permission, and if you don’t feel like you’re in a place to do so—I’m here to grant you permission to do so.

What Changed Everything for Me

Let me tell you something that changed everything for my leadership approach to finding purpose in my professional and personal life.

God may reveal a purpose for you to someone who speaks into your life, but not reveal it to you yet.

God may reveal a purpose to you, and no one else in your life—ever.

Or God may wait to reveal His purpose for you until after you're already moving forward.

When I was younger, I thought I had my future figured out. I was going to be a pediatrician. I loved working with children. I loved math and science. My mother went to school for nursing, and I remember scouring her old textbooks, fascinated by everything I was learning.

I knew I was going to be a doctor.

Then I got to college, started my undergrad in biology, and things were promising my freshman year. But that second year? I failed my organic chemistry mid-term, and my vision started to unravel.

Maybe you can relate to this story. Or maybe your vision was upended by something even more unpredictable—something completely out of your control.

Either way, you're at a natural point to ask yourself:

Is the vision I have actually mine? And if it is, is it one I still want?

Those are hard questions. But they're the right ones.

The Problem With Your Current Vision

When my plan for my future fell apart, I realized something for the first time: I had never truly sat down and reflected on my vision from the perspective of, "Is this what I really want? Am I willing to put in the work for this future?"

And when I asked myself those questions honestly? The answer was no to both.

That was hard. It felt like failure at first. But looking back, it was also freeing.

So I want to walk you through what I did next. Because if you're feeling stuck right now about your purpose, this process might help you too.

A 5-Step Framework for Finding Your Vision and Purpose

Step 1: Pick Apart Your Existing Vision

First, I picked apart my existing vision to figure out what to keep and what to let go.

I knew I still loved working with children. I still loved math and science. I could see that there were other ways I could fulfill these parts of my vision without becoming a pediatrician.

I also realized that although I love school and academics, I didn't want to be in school for another eight-plus years.

Then I took a step back and looked at everything else that had shaped my vision up to that point. My cultural background. The words I'd heard from teachers, adults, my parents, and friends over the years. Even the activities I enjoyed most as a child.

All of those things were data points. Not mandates. I didn’t have to include them if I didn’t want to.

So here's what I want you to do: Look at the vision you have—or think you should have—and ask yourself, "What parts of this are actually mine? What parts did I adopt from someone else?"

Because sometimes we're carrying visions that were never ours to begin with.

Step 2: Incorporate What You Genuinely Love

Secondly, I thought about the things I loved and enjoyed that weren't part of my original vision.

I wanted to see if I could incorporate them—and figure out how realistic that would be.

I started playing an instrument in middle school, but music has been part of my life since I was in second grade. It was something I knew I wanted to weave into my vision, just not as the main focus. So for me, it made sense to have it as a hobby instead of a career.

This step is about honoring all the parts of you. Not just the ones that seemed "acceptable" or "successful" to others. Incorporating what you love into your vision—and not making it solely about your career—gives you a more holistic view of who you want to become. It also gives you other areas to work on in your vision if something outside of your control requires you to adjust your timeline.

Your vision should honor who you are today, while reflecting who you want to be tomorrow—and not focus on who others think you're supposed to be.

Step 3: Create a Personal and Logical Order

Third, I put my vision in an order that made personal and logical sense to me.

I looked at my current situation. I thought about what I wanted to achieve and when. I considered the timelines of external factors—like degree programs, internships, and other commitments.

This is where you get to be strategic without being rigid.

You don't need to have it all figured out. But you can map out the seasons of your life and decide what each one might focus on.

Think of it like mission planning. You know the objective, you know your current position, and you chart a course that makes sense given the terrain. That's it.

Step 4: Put Your Vision Through a Life-Stress Test

Fourth, I put my vision through what I call a "life-stress test."

I asked myself these questions:

• What will I do if my original timeline doesn't work?

• How will I respond when an obstacle or challenge tries to keep me from achieving my vision?

• Am I okay changing my vision later on if my values change?

• Am I prepared to do the work—internally and externally—that this vision will require?

These questions matter. Because life will throw curveballs. Your timeline will shift. Your priorities will evolve.

And that's not failure. That's growth.

Your vision needs to be strong enough to guide you, but flexible enough to bend when life demands it.

Step 5: Remember Your Vision Is Adaptable

Finally, I reminded myself that my vision was like me—adaptable, moldable, changeable—and the same goes for you.

You have the power to change it when you need to. You have the power to change it when things outside your control force you to. And you have the power to change what you can control—your attitude, your mindset, your expectations, your response.

Your vision isn't a prison. It's a compass.

It points you in a direction, but it doesn't lock you into one path for the rest of your life. You get to adjust. You get to evolve. You get to grow.

Who to Seek Guidance From

Now let's talk about who you should seek guidance from when it comes to your purpose and vision.

Because not everyone who offers advice deserves a seat at your table.

I've learned this the hard way. And I want to save you some of that heartache.

You need people at your table who:

• Have walked a similar path and come out on the other side

• Share your values and understand your cultural context

• Can speak truth even when it's uncomfortable to hear

• Know how to speak truth with empathy and integrity

• Support your growth without projecting their own failed dreams onto you

Ask yourself:

• Does this person model the kind of leader I want to become in my professional and personal life?

• Do they have relevant experience in this area?

• Are they in the right headspace to give me thoughtful guidance right now?

And here's the most important part: Just because someone gives you advice doesn't mean you have to follow it—that includes me.

You get to take what serves you and leave the rest.

What to Do When You Still Don't Have Clarity

So what do you do when you still don't have clarity on your purpose?

You breathe and take the next right step.

You honor where you are. You give yourself permission to not have all the answers.

You learn to tell the difference between what's influencing your purpose and what's noise—just distraction trying to pull you off course.

You ask God to reveal what you need to know when you need to know it.

And you trust that the vision will unfold as you move forward—not before.

Because clarity comes from action, not from waiting for perfect conditions.

Your Vision Is Worth the Journey

Walking through these questions alone can feel overwhelming—that's completely normal. These aren't easy questions. Your future isn't something you should take lightly or figure out all by yourself.

Finding clarity on your vision and purpose takes time, reflection, and sometimes support from someone who understands the unique challenges female leaders face.

You don't have to navigate this journey alone.

Remember: You don't need to see the whole staircase to take the first step. Your vision is adaptable. Your purpose will unfold as you move forward. And you have the power to create a future that honors all parts of who you are—not just the parts others expect you to be.

Your vision and purpose are worth the journey.