Bradley Wright, Life Purpose Lab #90. Guiding High School Students into Greater Purpose: Wayfinder Founder Patrick Cook-Deegan
Feb 23, 2022
In this engaging discussion, Patrick Cook-Deegan, founder of Project Wayfinder, shares his innovative approach to helping high school students discover their life purpose. He emphasizes the importance of experiences and relationships in fostering purpose during adolescence. Patrick explores the power of design thinking in crafting impactful learning experiences and discusses how to transform purpose research into practical classroom strategies. His insights on project-based learning and meaningful student feedback reveal how young minds can actively shape their future.
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Adolescence Is A Purposeful Window
- Adolescents are developmentally wired to seek meaning and purpose between ~12–24 years old.
- Purpose grows from mentors, purpose-provoking experiences, and inward/outward exploration.
Purpose Needs Self And World
- Purpose requires both self-relevance and real-world consequence to be meaningful.
- Bill Damon's research shows purpose links personal meaning with pro-social impact.
Use Project-Based Purpose Learning
- Teach students to combine what they love, their skills, and needs in the world into time-limited projects.
- Use sustained projects (year+ or long-term) to build intrinsic motivation and real purpose.
