***The Path of Mastery – Article 3

Some people really struggle with the task of defining their purpose and finding their vocational path. Not everyone has a sense of calling for one specific profession or has the clear sense of what they were born to do. Many times, these are people with multiple talents and interests who have the ability to be successful in several different areas. It is possible to get hung up on the idea that there is one specific career path or one specific purpose you need to express through work, just as one can get stuck on the idea that there is only one true soul-mate for you somewhere out there in the world. This can become paralyzing and more of a source of frustration than joy, and great opportunities may be passed by while searching for that one special thing.

One thing that all successful people have in common is that they take action. They don’t sit and wait for inspiration and clarity to strike them, they move forward and look for inspiration and clarity as they go. When you act, serendipity often happens. Serendipity is that experience of fortunate happenstance or the pleasant surprise that shows up as an opportunity which may change the course of your life and set you on a path that you didn’t plan for but it turns out to be just the right thing. You can’t specifically plan for serendipity, but you can be intentional about it. This happens when your mind is set on finding or doing the next right thing, staying open and curious about what will show up, and moving forward. Curiosity is a statement of faith there is a loving God and a loving Universe that will co-create your future and bless you with those things you hold most passionately in your heart and mind.

Purpose may emerge or become more clear to you when stop and reflect on the journey you have been on and the events that have guided you in the process. Your sense of purpose may also change over time as you change. I recently took some time to step back from my work to reflect on my journey and began to see some themes that thread through my various jobs and experiences. What became clear was within all my jobs in clinical settings, corporate settings, and my independent businesses, was an overall theme of helping others learn, grow, find inner well-being, and develop their potential. This defines my purpose, my path, and my brand. Seeing this also inspires me to hold that in front of me on my own journey towards mastery; being the best I can be at fulfilling my purpose right now. It is much easier to sustain the effort to achieve mastery when you know you are expressing purpose in your work and it is definitely worth your time and energy to define what that is for you at this stage of your life and career.