I talked with a friend today about identifying purpose. It was quite meaningful. This is something that many people spend a lot of their lives trying to discover. Why are we here?

I venture to say that often there is a disconnect. What many think of as purpose they are actually thinking of occupation. People often mistakenly believe that their purpose and their occupation are synonymous.

One may feel they are purposed to be a doctor, lawyer, preacher, or run a business. Some may even equate talent and purpose.

A talent for doing hair, for athleticism, or the performing arts to them means purpose.

What if none of those acutally defined purpose?

What if all of those things (occupation/talent) were simply avenues to help humans fulfill a purpose?

The Essence of Purpose

Bear with me a minute!

I believe purpose is something much deeper; than what you choose to do earn money.

Talent is a gift but not a purupose. Occupation is a choice. How we desire to exercise our talents.

Purpose is actually what drives human progress. It is the enriching ideal of nourshing others so that we all may be better all (live a more fulfillin existence)

Purpose is ultimately universal. and one specific objective.

Purpose is relatively the same for everyone: to contribute to humanity’s growth and progress in some form, whether it be through the saving of the spirit, body, mind, or soul.

Talents and Purpose

Our talents help determine in which way we can better help our fellow travelers.

We have been endowed with specific ways that help us to engage, awaken, and move people in areas that others cannot. But we must discover our talents, lean into them, and develop them so that we can find the vehicle that makes it easier to reach the people we were created or born to meet, influence, and inspire.

Career (Occupation) and Purpose

Fundamentally, the occupation we choose is the most superficial component of it all. Our employ is merely a vehicle, a container in which we can sit in our talents, and use to move the mission forward.

While it is the most superficial its also the most troubling. To be content in life one’s talents must align with chosen career.

When our choice (occupation) does not align with our gift, then we struggle to properly fulfill the purpose of helping humanity in the way we were born to do so.

The Power of Alignment

When we discover that thing that we love, passion, which is self-driving (not forced) alignment happens .

Alignment is flow.
Alignment is synchronistic.

When things align, there is a force of propulsion.

It takes an enlightened person to understand that if their employ is simply to difficult, in opposition to character, or out of sync with the core, then it most definitely means you are moving in the wrong direction.

Discovering Your True Calling

Joyce Meyers gives a very effective demonstration of this.

As Joyce Meyers notes in her devotional,

“I tried to grow our garden, can tomatoes, and sew my husband’s clothes. I wasn’t at all good at any of these things. And I despised trying; it was obvious that God wasn’t calling me to grow and preserve vegetables or sew. We know we are operating in our gifts and calling when what we do ministers life to others. If what we are doing makes us miserable or feels us with dread, it’s possible we are not in God’s perfect will. “

What it realky means is that what we are attempting to do is not for us. Success will be limited or not all.

You can’t force something to fit where it doesn’t

To Make It Plain

Let us go back to the beginning.

How do you know? you are living out your purpose?

One can look to a very impactful quote from major motion picture, “Fields of Dreams.

In a bit of a paraphrase, “If you build it and they come,” that is the first sign.

If there is joy and contentment in the building then (Eureka) you have found it.