Today I listened to an important podcast, and I highly recommend it to you. It was Chalene Johnson, "What the Heck is Your Purpose-What is the Difference Between Passion and Purpose." It was so good, I listened to it twice, and I never repeat books or podcasts.
Here is why this was so important, if we cannot figure out what our gifts, purpose and passions are, then how will we Become what we want to be? How can you, Become You?
So let’s begin with gifts. Our gifts are things that come natural to us. They can be things such as writing, singing, dancing, woodwork, teaching, or other things such as seeing the best in people, or a good listening ear. It can be empowering people, or protecting others, loving on pets...the list goes on and on.
What if you don’t know what your gift is though? What if you think about it, and cannot imagine one single thing you are good at? Well first, that’s self doubt eating at you. Everyone has a gift. Everyone has something they are naturally good at. That saying, “jack of all trades and master of none,” well that’s crap. You have a gift, you have a naturally born talent, accept it!
Still stuck? Can’t figure it out? Then ask a friend, loved one, or even a stranger. Well, maybe not a stranger, but you get the point. Ask them what they see as your strength, something that you can just do, without thought, without intention.
Oh, another point, you can have more than one gift and they can change! That’s why you are special! Figure out your biggest one, and max it out to the biggest potential!
Got it figured out? Good! Let’s move on.
The second point is purpose. Purpose basically comes down to this: serving. Serving others. You are helping people, to help them better themselves in some way. While a gift is a natural talent, purpose is something you are doing..wait for it...ON PURPOSE. You are trying to help people accomplish something. So from a practical view, a person’s purpose may be to help people to learn control over anger, or helping a dog find shelter, or even giving advice so they don’t make the same mistakes you did.
Purpose is a drive to improve something. Something Chalene Johnson said that I think we should all take heart to, “our purpose should give meaning to the past.” So, say in the past, you were abused. Yeah, a horrible, awful thing that no one should go through. You could take that awful time in your life, and use it to help other people to protect themselves through self defense. Your purpose has become, helping others to be prepared. Another example, you had a child born with disabilities and had no help. Your purpose could possibly be to help other parents to not have to go through that pain of not knowing what resources are available.
So remember, purpose is about serving others, so that your past has meaning.
Finally, passion. Think of passion as a tool, such as a car. A car is a tool that drives us from point A to point B. It moves us forward. This car is going to get us where we need to go. So if we think of passion like a tool, we now know that it is just something to help us on our journey, to get us there faster. Using the example of the person who got abused, and now has a purpose to help people, so that they can defend themselves. This person’s tool is teaching a gym class. The other example, a parent wanting to help other parents to have resources. Their tool can be a class they teach, or maybe even working for an advocacy. Or even a blog that lists resources, or working for a program such as an Early Intervention Service. These are all tools. We are very obsessed with our passion, driven to know everything there is about it.
So our passion is the tools we have to get us to that purpose.
So how do they all tie together? Here’s the thing. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes, they come with a knot so hard to unravel, you are a frustrated mess. Sometimes, they are so loosely connected, that they come untied at the slightest bit of resistance. Sometimes they do, and it is like a perfectly tied shoe that will only come untied when you are ready to undo them.
So let’s put an example together. A person has an inner desire to delight the ears of an audience (purpose), studies stage performance and gets lessons (passion), but screeches like a banshee when she sings (gifts). See how those don’t mesh well?
And by the way, that’s so not me, I sing like an angel...hahah...no.
All three can come together in a harmonious relationship. A person with an inner desire to see children grow up with the skills they need to be successful (purpose), teaches at a school (passion), and just knows how to help children understand a concept without thinking about it (gifts).
Now we will take turns. I will go first.
I’m a person with an inner desire to see people succeed and loving who they are becoming (purpose).
I am a mother, a blogger, and a beachbody coach (and I research the crap outta them) (passion).
I have a natural talent to write and explain things in a way that is simplistic and understandable (gift).
You should’ve seen inside my mind...oh the self doubt that crept in! I didn’t want to admit my gift!
Now it’s your turn. Write out your purpose, passion, and gift. Feel free to share it; don’t let that self doubt win!
If your gifts, purpose and passion aren’t matching, this is where you need to really think about ways to connect them. If your job is just a that, a job, then maybe find something after work to fuel that purpose, to use that gift! Find a new passion to make it work! Without matching up those, you cannot become YOU!
You are worth the effort use your gifts, purpose and passion to Become You! You are beautiful and YOU are worth it!!
References
Chalene Johnson's Podcast, "What the Heck is Your Purpose-What is the Difference Between Passion and Purpose." From http://www.chalenejohnson.com/podcasts/what-the-heck-is-your-purpose-what-is-the-difference-between-passion-purpose/
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