I know you're not missing...
but have you really found yourself?
Fun fact: The following piece was first written on September 5, 2020, between 6:15 - 7:00 am.
Crazy right?
Speaking of crazy, did you ever see the movie “The gods must be crazy”? If you didn’t, then please add uncle to my name. If you did, then I am sure (yes, I am sure) you agree that it was one interesting movie. It was comical but had lots of subtle and subliminal messages. Let me give you a quick recap if you haven’t seen it, and if you have, then a refresher.
It so happened that an empty Coca-Cola bottle fell out of an aircraft into a rural community. For every person that came in touch with said bottle, they tried hard to figure out what it was meant for and ended up using it according to their needs at the time. Safe to say the bottle was abused and misused in different ways.
It’s crazy that that point is all I needed the movie reference for.
But before we roll credits on this, here is a worthy line to add to the script (popularly attributed to Dr. Myles Munroe)
“When the purpose of a thing isn’t known, abuse is inevitable.”
The villagers didn’t know what the bottle was, talk more of knowing what it is meant for. Essentially, they lacked awareness, right?
Let’s bring this home by talking about an awareness of one’s self. Self-awareness can be viewed in 2 facets:
The part where one is able to identify their emotions, thoughts, patterns, and personality.
The other level is the consciousness of what one’s purpose is.
Purpose could mean different things to different people, to one it could be meaning, discovering purpose by finding meaning in life. To another, it is the reason they were created...why they’re here on earth and what they were designed to do.
However you view purpose, the fact is that people that are conscious of purpose, in general, tend to live with more awareness and ultimately have a better quality of life (if you saw “quality” and your mind went to money, then I’m afraid you might have missed the point).
Are you at a place where you feel you desperately need to “find your purpose”? Are you eager to discover why you are here on earth and by extension, what you are supposed to do? Here is a simple framework I came up with that could help in your journey to discovery.
Passion. What are the things that drive you? List them. Those things you love to do and do somewhat effortlessly. What makes you tick? What is that thing that if I woke you up this moment without preparing you can talk at length about? Do you know what they are? Take some time and search. Ask close friends and family even, and take note of what you find, as that is an integral part of purpose. It’s one of the indicators of what your WHY could be.
Performance. What are those areas you excel at? Those things you find relatively easy to do and don’t understand how people struggle with it. That’s another indicator, but this indicator comes with a clause.
Performance as an indicator of purpose should almost NEVER be used in isolation, as it is heavily dependent on a number of factors.
Factors such as exposure and training. Just because someone isn’t good at something does not automatically mean their purpose may not be tied to said thing. They may require training and loads of practice. Performance is important, but should never be placed above passion, as people can learn and get better at what they are passionate about. There are tons of examples of this. One of which would be the story of Dr. Ben Carson, a world-renowned surgeon who used to be at the bottom of his class and was thought to not be brilliant. He ended up breaking records and doing wonders in medicine with his Gifted Hands.
This is a vital indicator, but should be applied with a great deal of caution & context.
Packaging: It's one thing to understand your passions, talents, and areas of gifting, but if you can’t find ways to express them, frustration can quickly follow. The key is discovering where your passion and performance intersect, in a way that allows them to be expressed. This is the most practical of the 3 keys to finding your purpose because you need to manifest your passions in a way that add value to the world while also creating value for yourself and enabling financial success. For example, someone who loves storytelling could express or “package” their purpose in various forms—whether as a writer, poet, photographer, actor, preacher, newscaster, the list goes on. The goal is to thoroughly explore your passion and then dive into the different avenues where it can be expressed and potentially developed into a skill.
You’ll find that these areas of expression can be quite diverse, and that’s perfectly okay. After researching and exploring the different possibilities, your personality will guide you in determining what truly resonates with you and what doesn't. For example, if you’re passionate about helping people in need, that passion could manifest in various roles—such as being a doctor, firefighter, psychiatrist, or law enforcement officer. However, understanding the demands of each profession and cross-referencing them with your personality is an effective way to filter and narrow down your options.
Passion + Performance + Packaging = Purpose.
That may help you in finding your purpose, or you may one day just stumble on it, but the important thing is to never settle. Never live a life without meaning. The important thing is not to silence that voice that keeps questioning, for in that uncomfortable place, you will find comfort… however long it takes.
Keep Breathing.
