Too many of us work in jobs where we feel dissatisfied and disengaged. It’s sad.
I participated in a class this week about engaging and retaining employees.
One of the facts that caught me off guard was that more than 35% of employees would forego a substantial raise if they could see their manager/supervisor fired.
I was floored! The survey was over roughly 50,000 individuals with diverse backgrounds.
35% of 50,000 is 17,500 people.
Dissatisfaction with your job leads to disengagement and stress.
If you wake up thinking “I hate my job” then you are not doing what you are called to do.
But what are you called to do? What is your purpose in life? Your passion?
You have two choices in life:
- Continue on the same miserable, unhappy, unhealthy, and stressful path.
- Make a change and follow your passion to live the life you desire.
Life is short. I think you know which answer to choose…..
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How Do You Know You Are Missing Out On Your Purpose In Life?
Don’t let your happiness pass you by.
If you don’t feel motivated to go that extra mile in your career, then it is probably time to change jobs.
Are You Excited To Go To Work Each Day?
Let me ask you a question: “Are you happy? Does the work that you do make you feel energized? Are you joyful in the morning and jumping out of bed ready and excited for work?”
If your work doesn’t bring you excitement, then you are not doing what you are called to do. You are missing your purpose.
“Purpose isn’t supposed to be achieved but learned.
It is something you do that brings you joy.”
Cynthia Brandel
Let me give you an example:
I’m a writer and published author. Over the last four years, I have published 4 books (you can check them out here). My purpose, my calling, is to write.
Although I have published 4 books, I didn’t make a lot of money off of them. It wasn’t because the story wasn’t good or that I didn’t write them well, but more because books are a tough market to manage.
The fact that I am a published author is a testament to my purpose in life. My books do not drive my calling. Rather, the act of writing drives my purpose.
Similarly, it is like an artist and his painting. He can paint a beautiful picture, but that doesn’t mean others will appreciate it or that he will be able to sell it.
The picture is a testament to his purpose and the act of painting is his calling.
Stop Trying To Figure Out “How”
Many times when you are trying to discover your purpose and live out your calling, you get stuck in the “how” phase.
“How” is not as important as “What”.
What is it that drives you? Why do you get out of bed each morning? What makes you excited?
Once you figure out the “what” then you need to dig deeper.
Example: Writing makes me excited. I can sit and type or write longhand for hours on end and still feel energized and motivated to write more.
Why Does Your Passion Excite You?
You know what excites you, but why do you get excited?
Do you enjoy helping others? Do you like social interaction? Do you like the fulfillment counseling and teaching gives you?
Example: Writing brings me excitement because I can use my creativity to control the outcome, the plot changes, and the twists my characters will face.
Let’s say you are a musician. Music makes you excited. Why? Because you enjoy sharing your passion with others (social fulfillment) as well as hearing how your songs have impacted their lives (helping others).
Steer Clear Of The “Not Good Enough” Culture
After you have found your purpose, you need to refine your skills.
No one said your calling is going to be easy. You have to work toward success. It doesn’t magically fall into your lap (well—unless you are a magician).
Reaching your full potential and living your call 100% of the time is a tough business.
I’ll go back to my example.
I published 4 books with hopes of leaving my job and working as a writer full time. But soon, reality hit and I realized that my calling wasn’t the problem. My skill set neeed improvement.
So, I still write (I’m writing this blog post right now), and I’m still committed to my calling, but I know I need to continue to improve my skill before I publish my next book (The Repentant Son Book 2 of the Revenant City Series).
You can check out a free preview to The Curse of Judas Book 1 of the Revenant City Series below.
You are going to fail when you walk down your own path. It is inevitable to hit some snags along the way. If you are determined, have clarity of mind, and really want to achieve your goal, then struggle through it.
If you find your passion no longer brings you excitement, then maybe you were not on the right path to begin with.
Align Your Self Development Goals With Your Purpose In Life
After you have found your purpose, it is time to start working toward it.
After all, you only get one life to live. I firmly believe God didn’t put us here to work all day every day and to live an unhappy life.
How To Set Goals
- Identify your smart goals. Shoot high, but be realistic.
- Brainstorm ways to reach your goals.
- Make a plan.
- Take the first step.
- Revise your plan.
- Take another step and continue to revise as you go.
An example of a smart goal you can include in your goal setting is:
I want to quit my corporate career and work for myself as an entrepreneur within the next 5 years.
The goal is specific (quit my corporate career), measurable (5 years), realistic (it is possible) and attainable (if other people have done it, so can I).
Snag your free goal planning guide by clicking here or the picture above.
Related Article: How To Set & Achieve Attainable Goals In 7 Easy Steps
Track Your Goal Progress
What is the point in setting goals if you don’t track the progress you are making on them?
There is a multitude of methods and tools out there for you to use to track your progress.
For me, my bullet journal was the game changer.
Using a bullet journal has not only helped me to keep a focus on my goals but it has also increased my productivity and improved my outlook on life.
I won’t go into all the uses of a bullet journal, for that you can click here.
What I will tell you is that using my bullet journal has helped me fight against my depression and it has helped me to achieve a very much needed work-life balance.
Related Article: Journaling Through A New Year (My Self Development Plan)
Finding your purpose in life may not be clear at first. That’s okay. As long as you keep focusing on the end goal then you will eventually hit the mark.
17 Quotes For Purposeful Living
All Quotes Came From Goodreads
“It does not matter how long you are spending on the earth, how much money you have gathered or how much attention you have received. It is the amount of positive vibration you have radiated in life that matters.”
― Amit Ray, Meditation: Insights and Inspirations
“She remembered who she was
and the game changed.”
― Lalah Delia
“she was completely whole
and yet never fully complete”
― Maquita Donyel Irvin, Stories of a Polished Pistil: Lace and Ruffles
“The greatest challenge in life is to be our own person and accept that being different is a blessing and not a curse. A person who knows who they are lives a simple life by eliminating from their orbit anything that does not align with his or her overriding purpose and values. A person must be selective with their time and energy because both elements of life are limited.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“Self-transformation commences with a period of self-questioning. Questions lead to more questions, bewilderment leads to new discoveries, and growing personal awareness leads to transformation in how a person lives. Purposeful modification of the self only commences with revising our mind’s internal functions. Revamped internal functions eventually alter how we view our external environment.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“Occupy your thoughts with purpose and you will be so busy pursuing a meaningful future there will be no time for doubt, chaos, and disappointment.”
― Carlos Wallace, The Other 99 T.Y.M.E.S: Train Your Mind to Enjoy Serenity
“Success is not measured by one’s achievements but by fulfilling one’s assignments on earth”
― Bernard Kelvin Clive
“It is extremely important to find work that the soul in our heart truly wants us to do, not what others expect of us. We need to find the kind of work we will never regret doing but would regret never having done—that kind of work and life. Only then can we live with excitement and passion even in our later years. Passion revives when the energy of your soul fills your heart. Find the work and life that will fill your heart with passion. This is essential in order to be healthier, happier, and more peaceful.”
― Ilchi Lee, I’ve Decided to Live 120 Years: The Ancient Secret to Longevity, Vitality, and Life Transformation
“I seek to embrace the wings of madness and allow its fresh breath to tear myself apart and begin all over. I aspire to live with inspiration, work every day towards self-improvement, dare to be honest with myself, not fear hard work, cease evading challenging experiences, and not bemoan personal setbacks. I need to accept that hardship and adversity is part of the path to discovering personal truth, and appreciate the growth message that stalks suffering and loss. I must channel all personal sources of pain into a constructive format that enables me to thrive, not wither, and die. Every person has the ability to do some good in their brief stay on this planet. I need to discover the essential purpose of my life and then go live it instead of lamenting my imperfections, nursing animosity, and registering wrongs.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“A noble soul predicates its living charter upon leading a principled existence. Without personal integrity, a person leads a feckless and meaningless life.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“Advice to my younger self:
1 Start where you are with what you have
2 Try not to hurt other people
3 Take more chances
4 If you fail, keep trying”
― Germany Kent
“When you find your path in life and are in sync with your primary missions in this lifetime, everything else just falls into place.”
― Paul O’Brien, Great Decisions, Perfect Timing: Cultivating Intuitive Intelligence
“I want to live my life to its fullest potential. I want to embrace my own purpose, however large or small it may be. I want to find my own Nehru moments and take positive steps toward becoming the person I am meant to be. The journey will undoubtedly be a winding one, filled with surprises and setbacks as well as gifts. But I’m ready to embrace it fully, wherever it may take me.”
― Mallika Chopra, Living with Intent: My Somewhat Messy Journey to Purpose, Peace, and Joy
“Once you become delivered, you have to find your calling and how to discover God’s purpose for your life”
― Sunday Adelaja
“My desire in life is to learn what I have to teach; to suck all the marrow of life, and pass it onto others.”
― Efrat Cybulkiewicz
“Life never ceases having a meaning for a humble person. The freedom of choice, the sovereignty that we hold over our own souls, enables a person to discover the meaning of his or her own life every day, even in suffering or death.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“Advancing towards a person’s dreams with confidence enables a person to move beyond restrictive boundaries and meet with uncommon success. Liberated from personal insecurities and eliminating useless second guessing enables a person to live an imagined life.”
― Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls
“I don’t believe everything “is meant to be.” I believe God wants to direct our steps, but our free will makes for a lot of detours.”
― Kirstin Leigh
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