Stay on course with these pointers.

The business of life has a way of luring us off course. We can get sidetracked, overwhelmed, or simply lose sight of what we're doing and why we're doing it. Here's how to take stock of your professional purpose:

P: PRIORITIZE what's important. Evaluate everything you do to get where you want to go. Prioritize to make sure that what you're doing is within your purpose. Then, stay focused.

U: UNDERSTAND what your purpose is and why it's important. Once you understand this, you'll come up with ideas, you'll notice more things that pertain to it, you'll be drawn to and find others with the same purpose, and your goals will reflect it.

R: REASSESS frequently. Take a look at what's working and what's not. Making adjustments along the way is invaluable to arriving at your destination.

P: PASSION is contagious. Once you've discovered your purpose and believe in it, you will develop a passion for it that will give you energy and motivate you. Passion will help you do tough things, make the difficult decisions, and guard against intrusions.

O: OPPORTUNITIES will surface. Be ready for them. Stay on the lookout for the chance to take on projects that will align with your purpose. The more you do, the more opportunities you'll have to complete your purpose.

S: SHARE yourself with others and absorb what others share with you. Helping others reach their purpose will propel you to your destination.

E: EDUCATE yourself and others continuously. Read journals, listen to tapes, attend conferences, and network with others to keep current and stay on the cutting edge. Be open to new ideas and able to share information and help develop others.

Purpose gives meaning to what you do. Purpose serves as a compass to keep you going in the right direction. When crises, people, activities, or other elements pull you from your path, it's purpose that guides you through.