5 Steps to Finding Your Creative Purpose

How Adalo Helps You Bring Your Creative Purpose to Life

Once you've discovered your creative purpose, you'll need the right tools to turn that vision into reality. Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. This means you can focus on pursuing your purpose without getting bogged down by technical barriers or coding limitations.

Whether your creative calling involves building a community, sharing knowledge, or solving a problem you're passionate about, having your app available in both major app stores ensures you can reach the people who need what you're creating. With features like push notifications, you can stay connected to your audience and keep them engaged as you continue refining your purpose-driven project.

In order to figure out your creative purpose, we first have to draw a distinction between passion and purpose. Most of us are passionate about multiple things—a hobby, our favorite sports team, a specific project at work—but those things aren't necessarily our purpose. For example, I'm extremely passionate about basketball, but I'm not ready to call that my life's purpose. So what's the difference?

The difference is that purpose is the one aspirational thing you would devote your life to pursuing and likely never fully achieve. There are three key distinctions: purpose is something you're always passionate about, it has a larger meaning beyond yourself, and it can never be fully accomplished.

This seems simple enough. All we have to do is figure out which thing we're most passionate about so we can turn it into our purpose, right? Can't be that hard. Tons of other people have done this, right? Yes… and no.

Why Some People Seem to Have It All Figured Out

There are certainly some people who seem to have found their one purpose. They have their life figured out; they're heading in a meaningful direction, knowing which path to take at every turn. And let's be real—this can be super frustrating to watch when we're over here feeling completely lost.

These lucky, purpose-driven people also tend to be superstars of innovation. Take the classic example of Steve Jobs. He's quoted as saying his purpose was:

"to make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind."

And he certainly did. From the Mac to the iPhone to the iPad, he kept creating new things in pursuit of that purpose. This is where the differences between passion and purpose become key to consistently harnessing those innovative superpowers. When we find our purpose, we'll always be passionate about what we're doing—and thus we'll always be more innovative.

So how on earth can we find our own unicorn-like purpose like Steve Jobs?

Finding My Purpose

Over the past few years, I've undergone a bit of a transformation. When I was younger, I always told everyone that I wanted to be an architect. I even started compiling a waitlist of friends whose dream homes I was supposed to build when I became famous. Then one day while I was finishing up my Master's in Architecture, I was given an opportunity to teach design to a group of students from St. Louis in a wonderful initiative called the Alberti Program.

After going through nearly seven years at one of the most prestigious programs in the nation, you would think that I could easily teach these kids how to design. But I couldn't. Sure, I could teach them about architectural principles like lighting and space, but I couldn't explain my design process in a way that would allow them to apply it to the kinds of problems they were facing.

This really bothered me. I realized how powerful and important it was to understand this skill, yet there didn't seem to be an easy way to learn it. This one moment set me down a path where I ultimately discovered my purpose: "to help people create new things."

Since then, I've changed a lot about my life. I left architecture and became a product designer to learn more about innovation outside of architecture. In my free time, I now do everything I can—from reading countless books and articles to attending conferences—to learn more about "creating new things." Starting this blog with Ben is a perfect example of pursuing my purpose. It feels amazing.

So how did I get here? After reflecting on my own journey, I realize that following five key steps would have helped me figure this out a lot sooner.

Step 1: What Do You Enjoy?

What you like spending your time on may be obvious to you, but most people don't think about what they do for fun as relevant to their life's purpose. It's worth explicitly considering.

Ask yourself: What do you do for fun and relaxation? What kind of fiction do you read? What about non-fiction? What kinds of games do you like to play? How do you spend your time outside of work? Do you like to travel? What kinds of trips do you take? Why?

Keep asking yourself these kinds of questions about how you really enjoy spending your time and record your answers. You may start to see the beginnings of a purpose, but most of you probably won't—at least not yet.

Step 2: What Are You Good At?

And conversely, what you're not so good at. This is important. Your purpose must not only be something you enjoy, but it must also be something that can leverage your skills. Otherwise, you're in for a lifetime of frustration.

So what are you good at? What kinds of things just seem to come easily to you? On the flip side, we all have things we find frustrating—either they take more time than they really should, or we always find ourselves asking other people for help with them. What are those things?

Record your lists, both your strengths and your weaknesses. At this point, you really should start to see a pattern. There will be overlap between some of the things you really enjoy doing and some of the things you're good at.

Step 3: What Do You Care About?

A purpose isn't just about having fun and being competent. It's also about passion. Without that, you will, at some point in the future, lose interest and stop having fun.

So what do you care about? What kinds of news articles, blogs, and non-fiction books do you read? What are your favorite topics of conversation with your friends and family around the dinner table? On the flip side, what are the conversations that leave you dying to change the subject?

Again, list these out. The things that consistently capture your attention and energy are signposts pointing toward your purpose.

Step 4: Who Do You Admire?

Searching inside yourself isn't the only way to discern your purpose. You can also look to other people for inspiration.

Think about your friends who inspire you the most. What's their purpose? Have you asked them? There's a reason they're your friends. Maybe their purpose is actually something you have in common, even though you hadn't yet realized it.

Similarly, you can also look to people you don't know personally but still find inspiring. Sure, you probably won't be able to have a deep conversation with them about their life's purpose like you could with a friend, but if they're famous, you've got a lot of resources at your disposal. Read blogs and find biographies to help you understand what makes them tick.

Step 5: Look for Patterns

This last step is the simplest to describe but probably the hardest to execute. Once you've reflected on these four key areas, look for the pattern that runs across all of them.

Here is where you may just find your home run—the purpose to dedicate your life to serving. The intersection of what you enjoy, what you're good at, what you care about, and who you admire often reveals something you hadn't consciously recognized before.

These Are Your First Steps

After going through this process, one of two things will happen: you'll have found your purpose (or confirmed the one you already thought you had), or you'll still be left wondering.

As much as we'd love to say that this is a perfect unicorn-catching process, it isn't. For those of you who haven't found your purpose yet, don't be worried. At the very least, this hopefully opened your eyes to more things that you're passionate about. And that's awesome! You've just discovered the things that will produce your most innovative works.

If these things can be done at work, try seeking out those projects. If these things can be done in your free time, try creating a personal project around them. These passions might just turn into your purpose one day. Don't be discouraged and don't stop looking for it—because once you discover your purpose, it's life changing.

P.S. If you'd like to learn more about finding your purpose, I'd encourage you to read an amazing book by Ken Robinson called The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.

Turning Your Creative Purpose into Reality

Once you've discovered your creative purpose, you'll need the right tools to bring your vision to life. This is where many purpose-driven creators hit an unexpected wall: the technical barrier between idea and execution.

Adalo, an AI-powered app builder, removes that barrier entirely. It creates database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play. This means you can focus on pursuing what matters most to you without getting bogged down by learning to code or hiring expensive developers.

Whether your purpose leads you to build a community platform, launch a creative business, or develop an app that helps others discover their own path, having your creation available in major app stores ensures it reaches the people who need it most. With features like push notifications, you can stay connected to your audience and keep them engaged on the journey alongside you.

Why Adalo Works for Purpose-Driven Creators

Ada, Adalo's AI builder, lets you describe what you want and generates your app. Magic Start creates complete app foundations from a description, while Magic Add adds features through natural language.

The platform's AI-assisted building tools make it possible to go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from a simple description—tell it you need a community app for aspiring architects, and it creates your database structure, screens, and user flows automatically. What used to take days of planning happens in minutes.

For creators who discover new aspects of their purpose along the way, Magic Add lets you add features by simply describing what you want. Need to add a mentorship matching feature to your community app? Just describe it in natural language.

Over 3 million apps have been created on Adalo, with the visual builder described as "easy as PowerPoint." The platform's modular infrastructure scales to serve apps with millions of monthly active users, with no upper ceiling—so your purpose-driven creation can grow as big as your vision demands.

Paid plans include unlimited database records and no usage-based charges, meaning you'll never face surprise bills as your community grows. This removes the financial uncertainty that often holds creators back from pursuing their purpose fully.

The hardest part of launching any app—navigating App Store submission processes, certificates, and provisioning profiles—is handled automatically. You focus on your purpose; Adalo handles the technical complexity.

FAQ

Why choose Adalo over other app building solutions?

Adalo is an AI-powered app builder that creates true native iOS and Android apps alongside web apps. Unlike web wrappers, it compiles to native code and publishes directly to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store from a single codebase. The platform handles the complex App Store submission process automatically, removing what's often the hardest part of launching an app.

What's the fastest way to build and publish an app to the App Store?

Adalo's drag-and-drop interface combined with AI-assisted building lets you go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Magic Start generates complete app foundations from descriptions, and the platform handles certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines so you can focus on your app's features and user experience.

What's the difference between passion and purpose when building something new?

Passion is something you care deeply about, like a hobby or favorite activity, while purpose is the one aspirational thing you would devote your life to pursuing. Purpose has three key distinctions: you're always passionate about it, it has a larger meaning beyond yourself, and it can never be fully accomplished. Finding your purpose helps you stay consistently innovative and engaged in your work.

How can I discover my creative purpose?

Follow five key steps: First, identify what you enjoy doing for fun and relaxation. Second, assess what you're naturally good at and where your skills lie. Third, determine what you care deeply about and what topics excite you. Fourth, consider who you admire and what their purposes are. Finally, look for patterns across all these areas—your purpose lives at the intersection of enjoyment, skill, and passion.

Can I use push notifications to engage my app's audience?

Yes, Adalo includes push notification features that allow you to stay connected to your audience and keep them engaged on their journey. This is especially valuable for purpose-driven apps where ongoing engagement and community building are essential to your mission.

What if I haven't found my purpose yet—can I still start building?

Absolutely! Even if you haven't discovered your ultimate purpose, starting to build around your passions is a great first step. Creating projects around things you're passionate about often leads to discovering your purpose over time. With Adalo's AI-assisted platform, you can quickly test ideas and iterate without a major time investment.

How much does it cost to build a purpose-driven app?

Adalo's web and true-native mobile builder starts at $36/month with unlimited usage and app store publishing. Paid plans include unlimited database records and no usage-based charges, so you won't face surprise bills as your community grows. This is significantly more affordable than alternatives like Bubble ($59/month with usage limits) or Appypie ($99/month for comparable iOS publishing).

Do I need coding experience to build an app with Adalo?

No coding experience is required. Adalo's visual builder has been described as "easy as PowerPoint," and the AI-assisted features let you create and modify apps using natural language descriptions. Over 3 million apps have been created on the platform by people without technical backgrounds.