This is a big one. When we are young, we think that if only we can discover our life’s purpose that everything will neatly fall into place and we will always know in which direction we are meant to go.
It’s actually somewhat true. It’s just that we might go about it the wrong way.
The feeling of drifting and being unsure comes from not acknowledging what you enjoy doing and finding a way to make a living doing it. It’s that simple.
Sometimes we get caught up in thinking that our purpose should be something big, like discovering the cure for cancer or saving the world. If you are drawn to those endeavours then maybe it is. If nothing about that gets you excited, then it certainly isn’t.
The truth is, you are going to spend thousands of hours working in a lifetime. Are they going to be enjoyable hours or complete misery?
If the purpose of life is to live and to be pleasant both inside and out, then whatever job you are doing becomes less important. Whatever you enjoy is what you should do.
The quality of yourself that you bring to the work is more important than the work itself. Doing anything just for money may seem like a necessity to some, but it is an empty way to live. There is always a possibility to use your talents in such a way as to make a living and to enjoy yourself at the same time.
Recognize that no amount of money or status will make you happy if you don’t enjoy the work you are doing. You can be a happy bartender or a miserable CEO. Or the other way around. The label of what you do has nothing to do with who you are.
At the end of our days we may come to realize that the work we performed didn’t really matter. It was the heart and soul that we discovered through the work that was important.
If we reduce things down to the basics it becomes more clear. If our needs are to be comfortable, to have freedom, and to help others then there are multitudes of ways to turn these into a vocation.
Whatever you are good at can become how you make a living. These days it is easier than ever before.
If you enjoy entertaining people, then start a YouTube channel. If you want to write, start a blog and self-publish your own book. You no longer need to wait for the approval of others to be successful.
If the very thought of going to work makes you instantly miserable, then this is a problem. You are the problem. No one is forcing you to do what you hate doing except yourself.
This is the life you are in right now. There are millions of possible ways that it can go, not just the one that is currently in motion. You are one decision away from turning in a new direction and opening new doors.
You are one decision away from living the life you want to live.
When you realize that your true Identity is not linked to the job you do, then the work you choose can become a source of enjoyment. Why choose to do anything that keeps you from feeling this way?
I knew a garbage collector years ago. He loved his job. He enjoyed working outside, being done early in the day, and had no issues with a job that many would find distasteful. He was one of the happiest guys around.
I have known many people with jobs that from the outside seemed like they would be wonderful, with high-profile status and high salaries to match. Many of these people were stressed, unhappy and continually looking beyond what they had in the pursuit of getting more.
They already had so much but it wasn’t enough.
The pursuit of happiness is an inside job. It cannot be found on the outside. Choose work that you enjoy and the happiness that you are will be your natural state of life, no matter what tasks you are performing.
The inner world creates the outer, not the other way around.