Move in the Direction of Your Dreams

There are a lot of worries today. Unemployment is on the rise. In my area of Califo
ia, unemployment is due to reach 12% by the end of the year. Given the economic outlook, should you postpone pursuing work you love? Does it mean you are stuck in the dead-end job you now have, destined to live in the black hole of job burn-out? These are legitimate questions and they often go unanswered by motivational speakers and the typical self-help gurus. These questions linger in the recesses of minds, build fortresses in our hearts and keep us living in fear and living unfulfilled lives.

From someone who has struggled for years with these questions, I understand the pain of being stuck. I tried for years to find work that mattered to me and in the name of security, I always stayed in jobs I disliked in order to pay the bills. The price I paid was enormous. I felt bored and dead inside, stagnant and purposeless. While I did not lack ambition or desire, I could not see a way out. I thought doing work you love was just for people who had a wealthy family or a spouse to back them up, not for a single woman that had college loans and credit cards to payoff.

When the mortgage lending crisis hit, my “safe career” crumbled along side the most stable of mortgage moguls. My income dropped substantially. I was working twice as hard for half the pay. Now struggling to pay all of my mounting debt, the work began to suffocate me. Suddenly, everything I worked so hard for had evaporated. I wanted desperately to escape. Without a clear direction, I sent out numerous resumes to jobs I felt overqualified for. However, with 100 to 200 applicants for every scarce bread crumb of a job left, I was not called for a single interview.

Feeling trapped and depressed, I finally admitted to myself that it was time to do the inner work necessary to find a more soulful career. There were hints along the way, aspects of past jobs and activities I enjoyed. However, my many varied interests and an inclination to get bored easily left me feeling like an outsider.

I envied people who always “knew” what they wanted to do for a living. I had a hard time picking a major in college, more or less the career I would do for the rest of my life. Luckily as my career was crumbling, the Universe intervened and I made my way to the Life Purpose Institute, a coach training program.

In going through the Life Purpose Process, I listened to my longings and discovered how to create the life I had dreamed of. I realized that I needed a creative life design. My career would be as multi-faceted as a diamond, allowing me to shine in my own unique way.

My biggest challenge in life, finding work I love, became my mission and calling. Today, I make a difference in the lives of others by helping people discover their unique purpose and vision. If you are reading this article, feeling the same torture I described earlier and desperate to find your life‘s mission, please read on.

Start moving in the direction of your dreams. If you don’t know where to begin, start by going within. Do the self-exploration it takes to know yourself, your wants and your true desires. Be honest with yourself and commit to doing whatever it takes and however long it takes to gain clarity. It is no longer about making money. It’s about finding work that makes your heart sing and work that feels like play.

What comes naturally to you? What would you do everyday if you never made a dime at it? Believe it or not, the answers are clues to your most desirable career choices. And, don’t worry, you can still earn a good living! This is just the beginning. If you are stuck and need direction, consider hiring a career coach. This is what my work is all about.

I am finally escaping a painful life of 9-5 and redefining what it means to “make a living.” There is more to life than forcing yourself through the day with waves of caffeine and then sleeping pills at night to quiet the chatter of an over-agitated mind. You deserve better than being a slave to routine. Your soul is leaping inside, hoping, praying, you can live a life of fun and abundance.

There is never a better time to discover work you love. With a tightened job market, the ones getting the jobs are those who are clear about what they want. The person who beats out the other 199 applicants is not the one throwing out resumes like confetti on New Year’s Eve. The triumphant one has done the inner work to be clear of purpose and vision and takes destined steps to be the one at the right place and the right time.

Go within; take courage in knowing your purpose lies deep as a treasure waiting to be discovered. Time is going to pass anyway. If months from now you face the same or worse in your current occupation, be honest with yourself and your reality. Continuing down the same path will lead to more of what you have right now. If that thought sickens you, it is time for a transformation. You don’t need to know all the steps yet; only that you are determined to take one inspired step now in the right direction. What small step can you take today?