How To Find Purpose
I grew up in a particular faith tradition that taught me that God had a perfect plan for my life, and it was my job to follow that plan.
Even as a young child, it was a frustrating message.
I remember thinking,
So, God has a plan and wants me to follow it, but won't tell me what it is?
It seemed like a cruel trick that was being played on me.
As a coach, I commonly talk with people who have the same struggles with finding their purpose. I've discovered it doesn't have to be as complicated as we make it. I realized this most clearly a few years ago while drinking an extra hot, left-handed, almond latte at Jubala in Raleigh.
I was meeting Jason Goldberg. We would commonly connect at Jubala and enjoy their wondrous almond lattes.
If you haven't had one, you should. And if you are left-handed like me, they will put the Lotus upside down, so it's right side up when you pick it up with your left hand. I'm fancy, I know...
this sidetrack moment is brought to you by ADHD.
Now, back to the story…
Jason is a once in a lifetime kind of friend. Many times, he's played the part of my Non-Religious Jewish Rabbi. His ability to give insight and perspective is uncanny.
I had been doing some writing and thinking about purpose and thought I'd get Jason's perspective. I asked,
Do you believe God (or the universe) gives people "signs" to point them toward their purpose?
He thought for a moment and in a sentence, gave me this beautiful response,
"What if the sign is the desire to do it?"
I can remember thinking; It can't be that easy, can it?
A few months later, I came across a midrash that connected perfectly with Jason's insight.
A midrash is an ancient commentary on the Hebrew scriptures.
In the Hebrew Bible, there's a story about a man named Moses and his encounter with a burning bush. It's often referred to as the calling of Moses. Essentially, when Moses found his purpose.
The midrash interpreter made the case that the burning bush had always been burning, and the only reason Moses noticed it was because he had a burning desire to see his people freed from slavery.
Before the actual bush was burning, something was burning inside Moses. The bush didn't tell him what his purpose was; the bush was simply a symbol of what was in his heart the entire time. Let that sink in for a moment.
I have a mentor named Ercell, who once told me the best way to find your purpose is to know what you stand for or what you must stand against. For Moses, it was the freedom of his people. For me, I have a burning desire to see people accept and activate their innate greatness. That's why I wrote the book, 5 1/2 MENTORS. For my friend Addair, it’s to love and serve her community (More about that in this weeks podcast episode. You can listen on iTunes or Spotify.
What about you?
If you are looking for something out there to show you your purpose, you may be looking in the wrong direction. Don't look for a burning bush; instead, consider