Most everyone asks themselves the question: what’s my purpose? People want to know will they ever reach their full potential. They want to know what is my calling? Who am I meant to serve? They compare their lives to others…asking themselves when will it be my turn? Why does it seem as though everyone else is succeeding except for me? Why does it seem I’m not meeting my goals? So if you’ve ever asked yourself any of these questions, know that you are not alone. With human nature, the ego wants to have all the answers. The ego wants the answers right now; however, fulfilling purpose is a process. Goal achievement is a process. Reaching your definition of success is going to require process.
Let’s face it, we live in a microwave society. Everybody wants everything now; and with social media being so popular, everyone’s “success” is constantly in your view. I placed success in quotation marks because sometimes people’s lives aren’t what they portray on social media. Pictures of happy couples, trips around the world, and/or glamorous lives can deceive you into thinking someone has the “perfect life”. However, no one has the perfect life. We all face challenges, experience setbacks, and deal with negative emotions. While some of what you see on social media is just outright deception, some people choose to focus on the positive, instead of feeding into the negative. Some people focus on what they dream their life to be and moving forward, versus dwelling on the negative…the would’ve, could’ve, should’ve(s) of life.
"There are no wrong turns, only unexpected paths". - Mark Nepo
Even detours lead to destiny. You don’t have to stay stuck in the same place, or feel as though because your path changed you’ll never get to your destination. Life is a journey full of experiences, and with some of those experiences you can learn very valuable lessons. The most successful individuals in life know that when you experience a setback, you don’t allow the experience to defeat you; however, you learn your lesson and you re-route. When you set a destination into your GPS system, if there is construction or an accident leading to your destination, the GPS doesn’t just shut down, it gives you an alternative route.
Be patient. Know that you won’t have all the answers to life’s questions overnight. Know that anything worth having is worth fighting for- meaning, if it’s worth it you will stay committed, focused, and determined to attain it, whatever “it” is for you. Remain faithful. If plan A doesn’t work, then make sure you’ve prepared to use plan B. Fail forward. If you have to make a detour, don’t just shut down, re-route.
