We all want to know our purpose. We all question why we are on this earth. We want to know what we are supposed to do, who we are supposed to be, and where we are supposed to go. If you don’t know your purpose, you aren’t alone.
Marshawn Evans Daniels spoke to the huge idea of purpose in her Power of Positive Summit video. She argues, “Purpose isn’t about what you do, it’s a byproduct of who you are.” Often, we see our purpose as the job we do in our life rather than the person we are. We see it as the work we perform rather than the way we carry ourselves.
“We are taught retirement instead of reinvention. We are taught success instead of significance and careers instead of calling.” The world wants us to make enough money to support our families and then retire after working for 40 years. The world isn’t growing us to have significance or meaning.
We want to be comfortable more than we want to follow our calling. Are you ignoring your calling because you are satisfied with where you are? Follow the tugs on your heart. Deep down you have passions that you want to pursue, people you want to help, and talents you want to utilize. You have unique gifts that only you possess, use them! Stepping into your God-given purpose isn’t going to be easy, but it will be rewarding.
Your purpose doesn’t stop when you retire. Monetary success doesn’t stay with you when you die. Your purpose is greater than that 9-5. That job may be the location where you can step into your purpose, but it doesn’t define it. Purpose is more about the lives you touch and dreams you inspire than the title you hold. Labels limit, significance liberates.
With only one year of college left, I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do when I graduate. I have many different avenues I can pursue in the finance world and I don’t know exactly where I will go. The one thing I do know is that I want to be somewhere I can foster and build relationships with those around me. I want to be somewhere I can make someone else’s life better. I don’t want to go through the motions every day while only focusing on myself. My life is much bigger than me and I’m still trying to figure out my exact purpose.
Search for significance.
Follow your calling.
Purpose isn’t about what you do, it’s a byproduct of who you are.
I appreciate you.
-JP