Purpose

Purpose looks different for everybody. It can be setting personal goals, discovering what is meaningful to you, or figuring out who you want to become. The benefits are undeniable though, because people who can find purpose in life, no matter how grand or small, are more resilient and less anxious or depressed. With these resources focused on finding purpose, you can improve your wellbeing.

Did you know?

64% of MIT students strongly agree or agree that they lead a purposeful or meaningful life.

Check-in

What are 3 things you’re grateful for today?

Resources to Clarify Your Sense of Purpose

Other Resources

Spiritual WellbeingThe Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life provides resources to help you experience wholeness through inward and outward connections that help you grow into your full potential.

Addir Interfaith Dialogue Program – Addir fellows meet regularly over the course of the year to participate in a stimulating environment that encourages dialogue, openness, and understanding across different faiths.

MIT@2:50 – Pause for ten minutes of daily mindfulness

Visit the DoingWell mindfulness resources for more tips and practices.

Student Financial Services – SFS provides financial aid, customer service, and resources to all MIT students.

Tips for graduate students – The Office of Graduate Education provides these pages to help you progress to sound financial health during your graduate education and beyond.

How to Budget – Student Financial Services created a guide on how to budget your finances including this helpful Budgeting Worksheet.

How to File Taxes – Many students need to file tax returns independently from their family, so SFS created an easy guide for students to get started.

Tax information for graduate students – Explore specific information regarding taxes for graduate students from the Office Graduate Education.

How to Choose a Bank – Whether you are an undergrad or graduate student, it’s important to research and select a bank that is a good fit for your financial needs.

Jobs at MIT – All students, regardless of their financial need, may work during the academic year—and most of our students do. There are opportunities on campus in labs, department offices, and centers as well as in the community.

Start the Semester Strong: Performance Strategies – This workshop will identify evidence-based strategies to maintain productivity and efficiency.

Start the Semester Strong Part II: Motivation and Focus – This workshop teaches participants how to tap into feelings of motivation and decrease distraction throughout the semester.

How to Find Meaningful Volunteer and Service Work – Career Advising and Professional Development put together a helpful tip sheet to help you find meaningful volunteer and service work.

Public Service Internships and Employment – find paid internship and employment opportunities, updated in real-time by trusted community partners, designed to harness your unique skills and build capacity for community partners tackling issues like climate change, food insecurity, and community health from The PKG Center.

Overcoming Uncertainty – Career Advising & Professional Development’s web-series designed to help students navigate different periods of uncertainty related to their career.

Developing Your Elevator Pitch – These tips from CAPD will help teach you how to introduce yourself with a short elevator pitch that highlights your background, experience, accomplishments and interests.

MIT Advisors Hub – Connect to MIT alumni for professional advice and navigating your career through an Infinite Connection account.

Graduate Student Professional Development – Your central hub for resources, advice, events, and support in your professional development.

Career Advising and Professional Development – Whether you’re a first-year undergrad, a PhD, a postdoc, or anywhere in-between, CAPD provides tips and resources to help you explore career options, build skills, make connections, and locate opportunities.

Choosing a major – Check out these helpful resources from CAPD to consider when choosing a major.

Figuring out what careers could fit you – Whether you’re a first year, a PhD or a professional planning a career change, these resources can help you find your best career fit and make a plan that puts your goals within reach.

Preparing for graduate and professional school – Attending graduate or professional school can help you gain knowledge in a particular field of interest, expand career opportunities, or to work closely with experts in a field. These tips and resources will help better prepare you for success.

Preparing for medical and health profession schools – Looking to become a physician, dentist, veterinarian, or other healthcare professional? CAPD offers a variety of ways to begin preparing to ensure you are a strong candidate.

Graduate degrees at MIT – Learn more about the programs, services, and resources provided by the Office of Graduate Education.

Cultivating Gratitude – Watch this MIT student share ways to reflect and remain grateful for the small things, in order to remain positive in difficult times, as part of MIT’s Flipping Failure initiative which provides visibility to stories of academic challenge and resilience.

Gratitude@MIT – This micro-lesson describes what gratitude is, why it matters, how it works, and offers feasible action steps for MIT students to start their own gratitude practice.

Thank an MIT Community Member – Use this online tool to thank someone in the community – staff members, students, or faculty – who has gone the extra mile.