Purpose and Waiting for a Sign

We all have goals in life and often we hope that those goals are aligned with what we came here to do. But sometimes along the way we find ourselves struggling to achieve what we desire with little or nothing to show for it. We'd like to think that we are following our life's purpose and, for that reason, we remain hopeful about our success. Unfortunately, when we find ourselves spinning our wheels for what seems like an eternity, this can make us wonder if perhaps we have missed the memo where our purpose is concerned. As such, we wait for a sign so that we know there is a reason to feel confident as we continue along our path. But what if that sign isn't showing up or isn't so clear? What do we do then? Do we give up? Do we keep going anyway? How long is too long to persist with a dream that isn't manifesting?

Well, if you ask those who are already living their dream they will probably tell you to never give up. There are so many examples of inventors, actors, singers, entrepreneurs, etc., that had their fair share of failures and hopeless moments, yet still they chose to persist until "one day" they finally broke through the wall to achieve the success they desired. Looking at those examples we can certainly feel inspired to continue to pursue our own dreams, but that doesn't always appease the worrying mind for there are also people with loads of talent and great ideas who struggle to get off the ground. Consequently, staying faithful and encouraged is an inside job because there are examples all along the spectrum. So instead of questioning whether or not we are destined for greatness, perhaps we need to ask ourselves if we believe that we are and, also, if we are being motivated by the right reasons.

I believe people basically fail for one of two reasons. Either they stop believing in themselves and, therefore, block themselves from success. Or, they chase after a dream that is neither their own nor motivated by their personal passion. So, when we are looking for validation for whether or not we are on the "right" path, maybe instead of looking for a sign we need to realize that our inner passion is, in fact, the sign that we are seeking. Our passion is the catalyst to our purpose and our belief is the path to our victory. The truth is, you already know if your path is right based on how you feel about it. No matter your setbacks, hurdles, disappointments, or failures, you know your purpose based on how committed you are to the process. Whims of the ego come and go, but true passion never vanishes. And so, if there is something that you feel that you must do for your own personal fulfillment, no matter the battles and no matter the outcome, you will keep coming back to it time and time again because that is your purpose.

With that said, however, even if we are passionate, it is only human to need some sort of validation to keep us motivated and encouraged. So, of course, we seek out that approval from the outside world. We look for signs that we are doing a good job, we look for interest from other people, and we seek out measures to feel like we are on the right track. But what if we no longer needed to rely on external validation for our encouragement? What if, instead, we could rely on our personal level of satisfaction to light our path?

You see, when we have agendas and expectations we might start focusing too much on external validation as the sign that we need to proceed. But what if we don't always get that approval? Does that mean we are not on track? Not necessarily. Think about all of the visionaries throughout history that stepped outside of the box and were met with criticism and doubt because of it. These leaders of their time did not give up. Instead, they were fueled by an inner passion and a need to see that passion through no matter what because they knew there was a higher purpose for their intentions. Many of these progressive thinkers had plenty of reasons to give up, yet they persisted nonetheless because they felt it deep within their souls to continue. Many undoubtedly tried various avenues and battled many critics so that they could manifest their dreams, but they kept going because it was simply what they had to do in order to be truly happy.

What we need to realize is that our purpose can be expressed in many different ways. Moreover, our purpose at its core is really just an essence and we are the ones who get to decide how we want to express that essence in our own lives. So, if one way doesn't seem to be working out, there are a couple of options that we can consider: 1) we can think about how we might be blocking ourselves from the success we are seeking (because often blocks come from within, like lack of confidence or having negative beliefs), and/or 2) we can choose another path. The key in both instances, however, is to always ensure that our passion is fueling our decisions, for passion fosters persistence and that garners results.

So the next time you feel discouraged by your lack of progress, remember, your passion is your sign. Your desire represents your purpose and your mindset and actions will determine your destiny. Most of all, if you do what you love simply for its own sake, you won't care about receiving a sign anymore because you will already be living your dream in one way or another. And whether your passion is the main attraction in your life or a side-gig, expressing it will always bring you fulfillment because true passion needs no external validation.

Contemplating giving up is a very human thing, and we all experience this type of discouragement at one time or another. But the true measure of passion and purpose is when we keep coming back to the same thing because it simply makes us happy. Success doesn't always happen overnight and, in fact, it rarely does. So we need to stay faithful even if the results we desire have not yet shown up, because passion is the ultimate prize, and if we feel that passion in our lives then we have already won.

Bottom line: Don't wait for a "sign." If you want something enough, and you feel passionate about it from your heart and soul, just go for it. Now, that doesn't mean to manipulate or push. It just means to follow your dreams with faith and surrender. And know that you don't need permission to proceed, because if you are passionate about what you want (from your heart), then that is your sign that everything is right. So don't question it. Persist because it's what you love to do, and know that where there is a will, there is always a way.

....

If you enjoy my blog posts, please check out my books available right now on amazon.com and amazon.ca

You can also check out my offerings at www.qualityoflifeadvisors.com