“My job is my occupation; my work is when my passions began overlapping with the worlds greatest needs.” – Wes Moore
Today marks the first anniversary of the day that I took the chance, one of the best decisions of my life thus far. Looking back, I made it out to be a much bigger deal than it actually was, all of the second-guessing and asking for advice when I knew the answer all along. I found something I wanted to pursue and share with the world, and in my current situation, I wasn’t fulfilling that part of me that longed for meaning and purpose. It was time to honor myself by leaving what wasn’t working behind, taking some time off to recharge and then leaping into what lit my soul on fire; my life’s work.
Why transitioning is trending:
The way we work and make money is shifting. People are uninspired by the old way of doing things, and they are ready to dive into the waters of their calling. We know that life consists of more than just 40-hour workweeks, paying bills, 10 days of vacation a year and then retirement at 65. One study even showed that 40% of Americans believe their job has little to no meaning in the grand scheme of things. However, people do crave work-life balance, growth, creativity and opportunities to express themselves. It’s not that we are afraid of hard work. The logic is that we want to spend our time and energy on something that truly matters to us.
What does it really mean:
Leaving my job meant detaching from the constraints of my ego’s need to entertain and accomplish all of the things I thought I was supposed to. It was a decision to truly follow my heart’s calling regardless of what it looked like to other people or the fear it brought up in me. Are people really going to be interested in what I have to say? How will I differentiate myself from the thousands of people in my industry? Am I too late, too old or behind? At the end of the day, everything I ever wanted was on the other side of fear.
Importance of reflection:
Take your time when making these big life decisions, quitting something on a whim because it is hard or not satisfying is not always the answer. Every job you have has pros, cons and lessons that help you develop your skill sets and professional dynamics. Notice if leaving your job feels like a cop-out or a genuine pull in your gut to pursue something else more magical. There is a difference between something trending in your life and something authentic and explicitly designed for you to pursue.
If you financially can, I suggest taking a break between endeavors. I took about 2 months off to reconnect and reflect. I traveled, rested, spent time with friends and family and I worked on myself by listening to my intuition. I plugged in and let freedom recharge my soul. It’s amazing how much clarity you can receive when you give yourself a break from all of the incoming information and listen to your inner wisdom.
Finding your life’s work:
The most important thing you need to consider when it comes to finding your life’s work is to identify first and foremost that your work is not someone else’s work– it’s a very personal path.
Our work is our journey and you need to know and acknowledge what kind of person you are and then build from that space. No magic sauce works for everyone; it’s a case-by-case basis. Find what you’re good at. If it complements your soul and fixes a problem in the world, then figure out how to capitalize on it – that’s your work.
A sigh of relief:
You don’t have to quit your job and start all over. There are other ways to make your time here worthwhile and incredibly meaningful. You can bring your life’s work into your occupation every single day. What is it about you that people compliment, that makes your heart beat a little faster, that makes you feel good at what you do? Do that, no matter where you are or what you’re doing, that’s your life’s work and it makes a difference.
Never get stagnant:
Always remember you can pivot in your career and in life as many times as you want or need. Your life’s work may change as you grow. There are no limitations as to how many things you can accomplish.
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF & HOW TO TAKE ACTION:
Reasons to leave your current situation
- If you are miserable, drained, uninspired, not being valued or compensated the way you deserve.
- If you lack purpose, drive, meaningful work and it feels like you are on an endless loop of time doing the same thing over and over.
- If you found something you love and you want to share it with the world and know you can’t accomplish it unless you put 100% of your time and energy into it.
- You’re just over it, no other reasons needed.
When to leave
- When you feel like you have grown stagnant and there is no more growth.
- When you have your finances in place and have mentally prepared yourself for the next step.
- When you have somewhat of a plan A, B & C.
How to leave
- With integrity and dignity, just go. Its time for you to take control of your destiny.
How to pivot
- Start working on your craft every single day.
- Get clear about what you want your days to look like. Meditate, visualize, open up the channels to let your manifestations come into your field. Call it all in.
- Find a mentor or someone you look up to and follow their lead, but always add your own flare.
How to build
- Set attainable goals
- Search for opportunities through all of your relationships, online, social media, and all other channels. Don’t be afraid to apply for something or reach out to someone; you will be surprised by how many people are willing to give you a shot.
- Build a platform, a website, a strong social media following, business cards, a stand on the side of the road, go door to door, business to business. Hustle for it!
How to stay positive when things get messy
- Realize that failure is your greatest lesson. Learn from your mistakes.
- Have like-minded people around you that support you and push you to continue to grow.
- Gratitude, for all of the little things in your life.
- Your business or your job does not define you.
- Remember this is your gift to the world if it were easy everyone would do it.
In conclusion, we all want to feel like we were put on this earth with a purpose. It is part of our makeup to want to achieve things, to have an impact and to make the most of our current circumstances. When we find discontentment it’s only natural for us to go searching for something new. I invite you to stop looking outside of yourself and to change the narrative in your mind that tells you you will be “fulfilled” once “blank” happens. You can have that right now; find your life’s work, bring it into everything that you do and live there in gratitude, abundance, meaning and joy.
AT THE END OF LIFE, WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS NOT WHAT WE BOUGHT BUT WHAT WE BUILT; NOT WHAT WE GOT BUT WHAT WE SHARED; NOT OUR COMPETENCE BUT OUR CHARACTER; AND NOT OUR SUCCESS, BUT OUR SIGNIFICANCE. – UNKNOWN
