What is your Passion? What is your Purpose?

Most likely you have heard a great deal about these two seemingly innocent questions. Career and Life Coaches, Motivational Speakers, Preachers, and Authors are all providing us with valuable information on this topic.. So here I am ready and willing to give my two cents worth. Why? Because I'm Passionate about helping you live a Big Life!

Often times I hear the questions, "why do I need to know what my passions and purpose are? Why shouldn't I find out about them later, maybe when I retire?" If you are asking these questions, the meaning of the words Passion and Purpose have not become fully alive in your heart - yet..

Once they become alive they will no longer remain the meaningless, innocent words they once were. They will light a fire deep within your soul. They will not leave you alone until you heed their calling and pay attention to their soft whispering voice, the voice that is calling you to a bigger life. A life filled with inspiration and a higher purpose.

Maybe you are just fine with where you are in your life. Great! Keep on doing what you are doing so well. However, if this idea of living out your passions and living a more purposeful life calls to you, then please continue reading.

Taking the step to uncover your passions, and implementing that information into your career or life to live more purposeful, may feel a bit daunting or frightening. Yes, that means you may have to change some things about yourself, and your life. You may have to open yourself up to see a new perspective. You may have to start living fully in your values and your belief systems. Change for some can be scary, so the question is, is it worth it? What could be the worst thing that could happen? What could be the best thing that could happen?

Your fears and concerns are valid and real. I get that, I have experienced them and continue to experience them from time to time. But what I know now is that if I let them they will stop me in my tracks and hold me back from being who I am designed to be. Below are some real concerns & challenges that some of my career coaching clients have been working through..

Client Challenge: I'm interested in discovering my passions and purpose, but I'm scared because I've been laid off work and I only have a limited amount of money to get me by until I have to find a another job.

Fresh Perspective: I'm sorry for your loss. Sadly, this is where many of you are in this state of our economy. What if you gave yourself the gift to take a "fear break" and gave yourself permission to put your all consuming fears on the shelf for now? You can take it back down any time you want. What if this situation (loosing your job) gave you the opportunity to have extra time in your life that you may not have had? During this extra time what would you think about carving out a small amount of space in each day or every few days to envision what you would ideally want and listen to the soft whispering voice of your passions?

Client Challenge: I can't make any money doing what I love. OR I shouldn't make any money doing what I love, if I did then I probably wouldn't love it any more.

Fresh Perspective: What evidence do you have in your life that you will not make any money doing what you love or that you will not love it if you do make money? Have you given it a fair try? What limiting beliefs come into play when you think about the statement, "I shouldn't make any money doing what I love?" What is your current belief system about money? Does it need to change?

Client Challenge: My job is continuing to make me more and more stressed. I feel I'm compromising my values & ideals and I feel totally unappreciated and valued, but I am stuck because I'm afraid to leave the money & stability.

Fresh Perspective: The question becomes, how long can you and your family endure this kind of life? Is it really that stable when you are physically and emotionally feeling this way? What was it about this job that you loved in the begining? How can you rekindle that lost love? If you never had anything you loved about it, then what about taking some time off to take inventory of your life, (the pros and cons) and take a leap to move yourself into a better place?

Client Challenge: I have no clue what my passions are, much less how they could make an impact on others around me.

Fresh Perspective: I'm curious, why do you need to know the outcome before you even start? I believe that when we make the decision to find our passions and step onto that path, then the rest will come.

Client Challenge: I don't know how to got about finding what I'm passionate about.

Fresh Perspective: You are not alone! My challenge to you is, are you willing to do a little investigation, take a risk and go for it? Once you make this decision and follow that whisper inside, things, people, ideas and resources will come knocking at your door. Once you take that first step, the path becomes more expansive. You may even discover other paths that are connected to the main path, paths that will take you where you never dreamed you could go.

Client Challenge: I will continue to push through with my job even though it's sucking the life out of me, and when I retire I will then pursue what I would most love to do.

Fresh Perspective: This is great if that is really what you want to do. But what happens if you never get to retirement? Consider this concept, what we do now will help create our future. Who says it has to be all or nothing? Meaning...Quit your job with no financial reserves and pour yourself into finding your career passion and purpose. Or, the other side...Stay in a job that sucks the life out of you and your family, and regret never exploring what you'd most love to do. Finding balance is the key. Balance is the space between these two statements.

I wish you well on your journey of learning to trust and follow that small whisper inside. My hope it that it will teach you more about how God has designed you and broaden your view about your place in this world and how you can contribute to others.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. On this topic of passion and puropse, what challenges you are experiencing in your life right now? What are some fresh perspectives you can offer to others?