“The two most important days in life are the day you born and the day you discover the reason why.” – Mark Twain
Most of us go through life constantly striving to accumulate material wealth as well as academic and professional accomplishments. But deep down, we know that we’re here for a purpose that may not necessarily align with those desires.
This ‘whisper’ inside of us knows when that day when we will be taking our last breath finally arrives, no amount of money, fancy cars, or prestigious degrees can rival the assurance that we’ve done our part in making a difference and are leaving the world a little bit better than we’ve entered it.
Regardless of where we came from, at the end of our lives, we all just want to know that we’ve made valuable contributions to our loved ones, our community, and the world.
In other words, we’d like to know that our life actually mattered.
The trick is, though it may seem as if we have an eternity to make the decision to start living a life of purpose and meaning, our time is in fact, limited.
Read More: We’ve Got Only 1 Life to Live, Let’s Stop Killing Time
At the start of each day, we are given a brand new opportunity to change the course of our lives.
We have the choice to either step up to the plate and decide to take the first step to live out our purpose or carry on with our daily routine, choosing to ignore our desire to do something more meaningful.
These are likely to be something that challenges us to grow and progress and more importantly, something that makes a difference.
Many would say that they’ve spent much time in search of their life’s purpose to no avail. However, I believe that we may not need to search high and low for our purpose as it’s often in front of our very eyes.
Contrary to popular beliefs, making a difference and living a life with purpose does not necessarily mean that we must quit our day job and devote ourselves to worthy causes by joining organizations such as the Peace Corp or Amnesty International (though if that is what you felt compelled to do, by all means, do so).
Personally, I believe that living our purpose simply means living a life where we acknowledge and honor the gifts that we have been blessed with.
Everyone – with no exception – has at least one unique gift. These talents, though we may not perceive them as grandiose or exceptional, are the things that we find the most joy in and are passionate about.
It’s imperative that we do not quickly dismiss them because these gifts are in fact the tools we have been given to live a life of service & purpose and it’s our responsibility to share them with the world.
Whether your gift is your ability to sing, teach others, make people laugh, or listen emphatically without judgment, you owe it to yourself and the world to honor it.
As Howard Thurman, an author and a theologian so eloquently said “Don’t ask what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do it because what the world needs is people who have come alive...”
When we fearlessly choose to devote our time and energy to sharing our gifts and talents with others, we are acting as a vessel of service in spreading joy and light to everyone we encounter. Inevitably, this will inspire them to share their own unique gifts too!
Whatever your passion(s) may be, when you choose to dedicate time & energy doing what you love, you’re making the decision to live a meaningful, purpose-driven life. And by doing so, you’re honoring your special contribution to a better & loving world.
Struggling to find your calling/purpose? Working with a coach can help you gain clarity and make progress in living a life that aligns with your true self. Click here to book your FREE discovery session today!
