The Wrap-Up: Pursuing Passion & Purpose

We’ve been on this journey for a few weeks … Learning, discovering, and exploring passion, purpose, and understanding pursuit within the context of the two.

And while in real life, the journey is a lifelong process, because you have to consciously and continuously learn, discover, and explore them, we’re going to wrap up this journey this week.

But, don’t be upset … This weekend will be our to interact together and go deeper still into this with my free masterclass: The Pursuit: Passion & Purpose.

You can register for it now! Trust me … This will be something you don't want to miss!

Have you read the first and second blogs? If not, you should … We’re building onto each of them here. They’re the building blocks in this journey! 

Passion & Purpose: Are They the Same?!?

The short answer: NO! 

Passion is important; however, your purpose is much more powerful than your passion. 

Passion is where you find joy and enjoyment. It’s the place you go or the thing that you do to get away … To regroup or recenter. It’s about what you can do mindlessly and effortlessly and just lose yourself in. 

Your purpose is about you making a difference in the world, which doesn’t mean that you can’t still find joy in it. 

Your purpose is about a difference that only you can make! I don’t care if there are thousands of people doing what it is that you want to do … None of them are going to do it like you. And that uniqueness in who you are, is what is going to make all the difference in the people that will be attracted to you and that you are meant to serve.

So, while there might be some overlap between where you find joy in and what it is that you’re called to do to make a difference in the lives of others, they aren’t the same.

Is your Purpose in your Passion?

Like I said … There can be overlap between passion and purpose. Some of the things that you love and enjoy doing are likely going to serve you well in your purpose, but they still aren’t the same. The various skills that you have in life are going to be useful in other areas of your life, and the same is true with your passion helping to serve you in your purpose.

Generally, your passion isn’t your purpose. However, your passion can flow into your purpose. In looking at your purpose, you can start with looking at your passions … To see how the things you are passionate about can be expounded and used for the betterment of others. 

For me, I’m passionate about learning, reading, working out, and living a healthy life. In order to do these things, there has to be planning and structure. So, for me, my passions require skills that can ultimately help to serve me in my purpose. In teaching others and helping them to live their best life.

It’s time for you to look back over everything you’ve done, everything you’ve gone through, and everything you’ve been working on … Look back on it, reflect, and see how it all fits together.

You can find your passion! You can find your purpose! But it’s a process and a journey. You will get there … I believe in you and I’m confident that you will … The question is when?!?

For me, ultimately finding my purpose was isolation, self discovery, self reflection, brought on heavily by the world slowing down with this whole COVID and pandemic life.

While I can’t say what exactly your journey will look like … It is often something that you suddenly stumble into through some circumstance, process, or situation that you go through in life that will cause you to suddenly look up and say “Wow, how did I get here?!?” 

But, once you see yourself there … You don’t know what it would be like to not be there … Truth be told, it’s worth it, trust me!

Finding Your Passion

The truth is, when it comes to passion, your passions are developed over time. You’re not just born passionate about something! Let’s think about it realistically for a moment … You aren’t born knowing how to do anything! 

As life and time goes on, you grow and you learn. Your passions are cultivated and developed over time. 

Passions typically start out as a spark of interest … Often undetectable, but just a hint of something.

You should know me by now and know where it is I’m about to take you …Yep, on a journey of self reflection. You can look back at your childhood interests, your past or current or interests and passions, your gifts and talents, your dreams and wishes, your values, and your commitments that you show up to and that you stand for. 

Remember my story that I shared in the first blog, yes, we’re going to go back to that here. Because often in looking at your childhood, you can find powerful insights into your true nature and your natural interest by reflecting on what you were inspired to be as a child. Because in childhood, we’re our purest self … It’s when we existed without filters, before we started to be influenced by others. Now you know … Kids say the craziest, but often truest things!

Were you like me growing up … Literally walking around with a book in my hand and always reading?!?  

Or when not reading, always talking to myself … Ok, well not actually to myself but to my “students” who were sometimes invisible and sometimes stuffed animals? Reading to them, talking to them, and teaching them … Which is no surprise that initially I thought I wanted to be a teacher growing up. 

I like to read, learn, and talk … I literally do this for a living! Hello trial attorney … Which has given me a way with words. Both of which are necessary and serve me now in coaching!

What was it you enjoyed as a kid … Or what was it that you wanted to be when you grew up?!? 

Dreaming doesn’t stop as an adult! Your dreams are calling you … The “true you” already knows what your dreams are and never stops dreaming. Don’t let that adult or “rational you” shut down your dreams! 

Your dreams are calling … It’s time to pick up! Because the key to unlocking both your passion and ultimately your purpose is often in allowing yourself to dream … To remember your dreams and then make the decision to go after them!

Now ask yourself: What do you stand for? What do you want to stand for? What difference do you want to see in the world?!?

So, what is it that you’re passionate about?!?

Finding your Purpose

When it comes to purpose, I want you to think coincidence. A lot of people think that there is no such thing as coincidences. But, I’m sure you’ve had the experience where you suddenly start hearing or seeing something after you notice it for the first time. You know how you start looking for a new car and then all you see on the road is that car where you’ve never noticed that car before or that specific color, now it’s all you can see. 

I look at coincidences more as an awareness or an awakening. Because you’re open to it now and are opening yourself up. So when I say “think coincidence”, that’s what I mean. I want you to think about those “coincidences” … Where now this thing is all that you can see or hear about. These coincidences are often confirmations and ultimately create alignment in life because it all lines up, it’s that awareness and awakening all coming together.

Like this blog for example. In one of my first blogs, I talked about how I wasn't sure that I wanted to actually start a blog because of not being sure what to talk about or what I would say. When first was told about blogging … I completely shut it down! Then, I started hearing and seeing blogs everywhere … More and more people were telling me that I should do it. But now, I've grown to enjoy writing these blogs. Even so, I’m going to continue to blog … But I’ll be cutting back to two times a month, so I can give you more of me in other areas. (Yes, I did just throw that announcement in there in the middle of an example … You get the point) 

Sometimes you have these experiences where you know that there’s a clear sign. Then, there are other times when it seems aligned but the meaning behind it isn’t as clear. Not all of these coincidental experiences are going to be profound “aha” moments, most are gentle nudges that you’re on the right path. As with all things in life, the more you focus on the meaning in life and appreciate being in sync, that’s the more you’ll attract, notice, and experience the true miracles in life. These coincidences can hold the secrets that unlock the mystery of our ultimate purpose in life.

Look back at your life … We often have these unexpected experiences that are pivotal. No matter if you look at them as positive or negative, these life changing experiences are almost synchronistic. (Just so we’re clear here, synchronicities are just another word for coincidences.)

Now, let’s look back over your life and think about the events that happened … It comes down to experience being the best teacher!

Now … let's put it all together … What does your purpose look like?!?

The Wrap-Up

Let’s put it all together … What’s your passion? What’s your purpose?

You don’t have to go at it alone … This masterclass is a chance for you to do the work as well as ask some of the hard questions.

Now, just because you’ve read all three of the blogs in this series, don’t think that you don’t need this masterclass. You do! This masterclass is less about me talking at you or about me talking to you … But more about us coming together and doing the work together, about me helping to guide you! 

I’m not going to be regurgitating these blogs into the masterclass, like I said, this is all a journey ... I didn’t even outline the masterclass looking at the blogs.

I’ve had so much to say on this topic, so that’s exactly how it became a series … And the desire and urge to pour it into a masterclass was born!

Register for masterclass … I want to see you there! But, don’t just show up … Show up ready to not only do the work! Not only does your life depend on it but the lives of those that you are meant to touch and impact depends on it as well!

So, will I see you there?!?

-Coach Lee

Your Productivity & Accountability Coach