This is the easiest truth to discount, the hardest to tackle and the one you'll subconsciously avoid at all costs. Even now, the title alone probably has you a fingernail away from hitting the 'delete' button.
Mainly because the mere term of 'knowing yourself' seems unrealistic. Can we ever really, fully know ourselves. No, I don't think so. And the constant pursuit is ultimately just self-focused and keeps us from serving others.
But in seeking a vocational pursuit that fits us, there is absolutely a level of knowing oneself that can and must be achieved in a rather short period of time, guaranteed. I'm seeing folks do it every week.
People understand that investing in things your passionate about is a key to self-employment success and a joy filled life. The best stories of people loving what they do, and as a result creating wealth and abundance all around them, consist of folks who dove into something they just loved.
But the primary stumbling block is people don't know what they are really 'passionate' about. The definition of passionate is:
- having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling
If you feel a void here, you are in good, but regretful company. We're in an age where people are less and less aware of, and encouraged in - personal calling, purpose and life meaning.
We're culturally raised up to conform to the norm and pursue safety and security. That is a fact.
The rub is that we are naturally predisposed to desiring calling, purpose, meaning and passion. It rages through our blood. How do we medicate this? We pursue passion voyeuristically. If we aren't truly engaged in it in our real lives, we seek it out vicariously through:
- Sports viewing
- TV & Movie stories of romance and adventure
- Food overconsumption
- Sex, drugs and rock and roll
...to name some of the front runners.
Think about it, what rules our media and spare time? Chances are 95% you're engaging in passion vicariously through some outlet. OR…there is one more primary culprit…BUSYNESS. You've filled every spare second with busyness and thus avoid passions altogether.
Thus, when you get an inkling for more in your life, such as being self-employed in something you truly care about…you're faced with…nothing. You can't tap into all the talk of pursuing your passions, because you don't have any that you're much aware of or participating in (viewing is NOT participating).
This is why pursuing more knowledge on careers and businesses and getting more education and certifications is folly. More busyness. Until you discover yourself, the best you can do is just pad your security and comfort.
Discovering the passions that are wired into your heart, and then pursuing them…is your responsibility. It's not about weighing risk or waiting for the right time or letting circumstances get in the way.
Achieving anything of value will include risk, it will infringe on your comfort, time will not open up for it and something WILL 'come up.'
You can and must do it...anyway.
Here is a 1:39 minute video excerpt from Gary Barkalow, founder of The Noble Heart, author of "It's Your Call" and our Professor of 'Calling' at Free Agent Academy. This is straight out of the very first session that you begin with as a member in FAA when you join, it's called 'Alert & Oriented X 3':
If you want to get started, you can check out all our courses here and register here.
So...do you know what you are passionate about? Do you believe you can and should be working at what you're passionate about (be honest, I can handle it)?
Before you answer, let me qualify the questions by asking that you comment within the perameters of something you can offer to the marketplace. I'm passionate about God and my family, but those aren't things I offer to others. In the marketplace, I'm passionate about helping people communicate value they have to offer (marketing and branding) and I'm passionate about helping people become self-employed.
Please...share.
