A client recently recommended the book, What Should I Do With My Life?, full of inspirational stories of everyday people searching for their life’s true calling. Synchronicity, as I already resonated with the author’s quote:
"Most of us don't get epiphanies. We only get a whisper - a faint urge. That's it. That's the call. It's up to you to do the work of discovery, to connect it to an answer." -Po Bronson, Fast Company
So many of us wait for the epiphany regarding work and our life purpose. We disregard our internal voice and end up in mid-life craving more meaning and fulfillment.
Following our dreams (to change careers, start a new business, move) often raises fears associated with stepping out of our comfort zone. It’s much safer to keep the status quo – the stressful/unchallenging/low-paying job - than to initiate change. Or, we sabotage ourselves by focusing on our lack of time or money to address our restlessness.
What’s wrong with ignoring the call? Now maybe more than ever, the world needs us all to be fully alive and living in passion and purpose. That faint urge is the universe’s voice asking us to step into our power and full potential.
People touched by tragedy sometimes become leaders and advocates for personal causes. Circumstances such as the death of a loved one, chronic disease, divorce, or job loss, can be powerful motivators to reassess what is important in our lives and to begin the discovery process of what’s next.
Be the leader in your own life! Don’t wait for difficult circumstances to force your hand. Proactively connect with your values and the impact you want to make on the world.
What’s the first step?
- Take some quiet time. We live lives constantly busy and we seldom listen to our authentic selves. What do you really want in your life? Only by removing the noise can you listen to your heart.
- Write in a journal, or make a collage of what is important to you. To get started, think of times in your life when you really felt like you were at your best.
- Separate the dream from the doing. Your inner critic will destroy the dream if you move right to action. Fully engaging in the vision can make the doing easier.
- Get a partner for structure and support. Find a mentor, enlist a friend, hire a coach, take a class, read a self-help book.
- Set weekly goals. Accomplishing small steps will create momentum, build confidence and lead to big leaps over time.
- Gauge how well it’s working by your emotional response. Is it fun? Are you happier? Is this the right track? If not, go back to step #1.
Being a leader means taking responsibility for your own life. Take the next step for authentic self-expression. Trust and be open to the discovery process to get you to the next level in your own life. And measure the result by your own personal fulfillment.
Debra Taylor is founder of Discover Your Light, a coaching and consulting firm specializing in helping professionals and business owners take their personal and professional lives to the next level. She can be reached at 508-309-3838 or coachtaylor@comcast.net for a complementary sample session.
