If life is a war, you, as I am, are a soldier with a specific tactical assignment — a mission to accomplish.
I’ve always believed that we’re all dispatched into this world with a purpose.
This is exactly why I think deaths should be celebrated. Removing all sentimental morbidity attached to death, it’s a graduation. Passing away means accomplishing the mission. Life’s work done. You’ve served your purpose for this tour. You’re already relieved from duty.
Since you’re still here, it only means you’re not done yet. You still need to figure out how to solve the problem. Can’t pass your paper yet. You haven’t freed the queen.
We have no definitive way to know the mission. No mission order came as we’re being deployed. The recurring challenge is to figure it out.
How to figure out what to do with your life next?
You go deep into yourself.
With your mission, tied are necessary gifts and skills that only you have.
Introspect.
Who are you now?
What gifts, tools, and strengths were you given at this point in your life? (e.g. grit, business acumen, patience)
Where are you placed? What is needed where you are?
What do you find pleasure doing? What makes your heart beat fast? What gives you joy, satisfaction, fulfillment — that thing you’re willing to do even without pay?
Connect these dots to understand what you’re here for.
Find the intersection where you can use your gifts doing what you love, serving what the world needs.
Figure out the work that you’ve been uniquely equipped to do. And find a way to earn from it.
Quit operating every day like a wind-up doll with key.
You’re probably being busy with daily trivialities, as if life will only end when you’re done with it.
Your life’s purpose will always be a mystery until it becomes obvious once you’re doing it.
There’ll be no grading system, certificates of completion, or pats on the back. But you’ll know when you’re already doing what you’re supposed to be doing because energy flows. You rant less. You appreciate more. You feel better.
- You’re doing what you’re great at
- You’re doing what you love
- You’re doing it in a place where your work is appreciated and well-compensated.
3 of 3, that’s the recipe for a fulfilled, purposeful life.
If you’re still 1/3 or 2/3, keep exploring. Don’t settle.
You’re one lucky unicorn to be chosen to be deployed in this life.
Infinite other dusts, cosmos, cells vied for your spot.
Alas! You’re the extraordinarily ordinary one lucky enough to descend here and experience life.
Keep that thought in mind always. Use it as your compass whenever you feel like succumbing to your seeming ordinariness.
You’re not chosen amongst the infinite to just eat, sleep, work, repeat, like a soulless machine.
Remember you’re here to play a part. Do your part some justice. If you’re not sure what part you’re playing, or even how to do your part, other people were sent here to show you just that. Learn, ask, explore, engage, share.
WHAT SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS AND EXCUSES DO YOU PLAY ON LOOP IN YOUR HEAD?
If you’re using your child as an excuse why you can only do work that buys the milk, remember that your child didn’t ask to be brought into this world. It was an added challenge you gave yourself. That’s not a fair reason to abort the mission.
You can hide in the idea that your life’s work is to create responsible children of the future.
Some people surely do, yes.
But if you’re still ranting and whining, like life was sucked out of you, that doesn’t, at all, look like your life’s work.
That comes across like hiding in that responsibility because you can’t figure out your purpose here just yet.
It seems convenient and noble to be of service to a child. Everybody should be able to understand why you’re not pursuing your life’s work, right?
Just replace child to whatever excuses you’re hiding under — family obligations, insecurities, lack of opportunities, diseases, life detours.
Of course, your condition is always different. It’s always more complicated. It’s always easier for others to judge/speak/comment/advise. Being in it is always more different. You are a special unicorn, after all.
The thing is, everyone thinks the same way. How are you different, then?
We are all similarly unique which makes us all the same.
More practically, rationalizing doesn’t help move you into action. It only hinders you from actually discovering and accomplishing what you’re designed to be here for.
Sure, it soothes your psyche, calms you down, but it doesn’t lead you closer to it.
How about, instead of looking at your life’s purpose as if it’s a luxury, perhaps a waste of time, or something less important than paying the bills, shift your perspective to it being your key to a life of less rants and whines, and more of joy and gratitude?
Doing one’s life purpose isn’t limited to the rich — those who have the luxury to spend time on discovering one’s self, on introspection. It’s a worthy investment for all, no matter where in the food chain you are.
Yes, it’s going to be extra difficult for those who have less, but it should also be more so a motivation to improve one’s quality of life, shouldn’t it?
It’s not synonymous to saying, be stupid, go hungry, do work that doesn’t pay, be homeless, let love keep you alive. Not at all.
It’s quite the contrary.
Discovering your life’s work means be so full and well compensated in ALL aspects of life. You’re fulfilled and purposeful while being able to meet your needs on a physiological level.
It even moves you in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs from the 1st (physiological needs) /2nd (safety) to the 4th level (esteem), at the very least.
Do work that feeds your body, your ego, and your soul.
It’s contrary to the misconception that doing what you love equates to artists doing art with minimal to no pay.
Doing what you love is just one part of your life’s work. Your life’s work is that work that completes your existence. A complete existence covers your needs from physiological, mental, to spiritual needs.
If you don’t have time to discover that something that fills you from the body to the core of your self, you’re wasting your potential. You’re not doing your life justice. You’re selfish and greedy. Inefficient, at best.
Someday, you’re going to be pulled out like a tool, a favorite player in a computer game, or an enlisted soldier for when YOU are needed.
You’re that special unicorn who can do what is required of the situation.
If you didn’t actively seek and learn who you are in this world, how are you going to perform when it’s show time?
You must have heard/read of the quote, luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
You wonder why some people are lucky — Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, Oprah, Tony Robbins, Celine Dion, Michael Jordan, Jennifer Lopez .
They look like they were especially handpicked to become successful. They look like they have what it takes to be successful.
Have you considered that maybe they didn’t also know what they’re here for?But they took the time to know themselves, their gifts, their strengths, what they loved to do, and where they are needed?
They sought what they were here for so they were ready as soon as the opportunity came.
Are you ready when you’ll be called?
The next time you convince yourself with all excuses and limiting beliefs against finally pursuing your life’s work (oh, I’m too old for that, I don’t have time for my passions/hobbies, Oh that’s for the bachelors, I need to put food on the table, I have loans to pay, I barely even have time to do the laundry), think about all the things you want out of this life.
Happy mornings.
Time with friends, family, and self.
Financially secure life.
Fulfilling work.
Worthwhile existence.
All these lie within your life’s purpose.
Your key to your best life is anchored around your life’s work.
Why are you delaying your best life?
If you’ve been struggling and itching to know what to do with your life;
if you’re feeling purposeless, dissatisfied, or directionless;
if you need a guide how to create the life you imagined;
if you’re on a crossroad and just realized you don’t want to do what you trained for for the rest of your life;
most importantly, if you’re ready to take control of your situation and do something about it already (Well, you can’t teach close-minded, full-of-excuses, unready person anything unless you hold one in gunpoint or torture one to cooperate :D. The teacher appears when the student is ready, so they say. :)),
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Originally published at medium.com