What in The World Should You Be Doing?
What were you meant to do? Maybe you think you know, maybe you don’t. Maybe you’ve been dreaming about it for years, but never committed. Maybe you feel like you’re on the path, but the reality still seems far away.
There is an incredible force that comes along when a person chooses to do what they were meant to do. It’s energizing to every part of your life. I’m not talking about your dream job or achieving some large goal. Yes, these are all great things and maybe you are meant to do them, but I'm referring to what you were truly made for. That thing you were meant to do every day whether you are presently living your dream or not.
There are constant demands, and the responsibilities of life dictate where most of our time is spent. That alone can leave us feeling overwhelmed and without room to do what we are actually meant to do. Well, what if I told you that what you were made to do can be accomplished no matter what responsibilities you have?
We can do what we were born to do every day by finding focus, inspiration and satisfaction in places we typically overlook.
I remember how I felt once after a grueling day of classes as a junior in college. It had been a hard day and the last thing I wanted to do was five hours of homework. Looking back I realize how good I had it (this is what most adults say about their youth). It was about that time that I walked into the lobby of my dorm and sensed something. I could tell the person sitting at the desk (a.k.a. the desk lady) wasn’t having a good day either.
Something stirred inside of me and I decided to cheer her up. It wasn’t planned or well thought out, it was just a split second decision. I said something reflective like, “You put up with a lot, but I really appreciate how kind you are.” This brought a smile to her face. It was a simple two minute exchange, but it made her smile!
And guess what? There was an unexpected benefit. I remember getting in the elevator and realizing that my worries of the impending homework were gone. I had a new lease on the day. Wow! How simple, but how powerful. I had just discovered something I was meant to do.
It’s the jewels like this we have to search for in middle of our day. You can find them by asking yourself three questions:
What focuses you? Focus is a powerful tool and when we find it we lose sight of the worries around us. What about your job, your task or working with the people around you allows you to focus? When you find it, do it. Allow focus to take over your day instead of distraction. You were meant to focus. This will make the “not so fun parts” of your day go faster and productivity soar. You’ll feel accomplished and empowered to be the best version of yourself when you learn how to focus in the less exciting areas of life.
What Inspires you? Is it the way your boss balances a full plate with grace or maybe the way one of your friends always puts others first. I have a mentor who recently lost his company and has been in legal battles for the past few years trying to get back what is rightfully his. Everytime I talk to him, he has the same positive outlook. Even in the middle of his worst days he inspires me to be the best version of myself in every situation. There is no job or task that can stop that inspiration. Everyday we have to learn to use that inspiration to make our world a little bit brighter. That is what we were meant to do.
What satisfies you? Is it completing a task or maybe seeing another person accomplish their own set of goals? Could it be the look on your significant other’s face when you go out of your way to help them fold the laundry or do the dishes. Being satisfied at the end of the day doesn’t mean you have to climb Mt. Everest. Look for the small things you can do everyday that bring an unproportionate amount of satisfaction and then figure out a way to do them consistently.
We are designed to live focused, inspired and satisfying lives. And I believe we can live this way in the middle of the “worst” or “best” life circumstances. No matter what your current situation is, you can be living the life you were made to live. This choice is not dependent on your job, bank account or even what curveballs life throws your way. We all have big dreams and want to do more with our life, but along the way sometimes we end up doing things we hate. Finding focus, inspiration and satisfaction in the mundane may be the difference between living the life you have been and the one you were meant to.