As a young adult, I often found myself envying trees. They don't struggle with questions about their purpose or what they're meant to do. Trees simply exist, fulfilling their role effortlessly. In contrast, I spent years turning these questions over in my mind, longing for that same ease and clarity. Questions like the following:
- With so many possibilities, how do I know which path is right for me?
- What if I make the wrong choice?
- I care about so many issues -- how can I focus on just one?
- Can I financially support myself doing what I love?
- Do I have the skills and experience needed?
- Will people take me seriously?
- What if I leave my stable job and regret it?
Sound familiar? These concerns stem from a common misconception that purpose and career are the same thing.
The Problem with Equating Purpose and Career
For years, I believed that discovering my purpose would lead me to the perfect career -- one where everything would fall seamlessly into place. This idea is deeply ingrained in Western culture, where we equate identity with profession. From childhood, we're asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" But when people say "be" instead of "do," they reduce our identity to a job title.
This way of thinking can leave you feeling lost. When your sense of purpose is tied to your career, any change -- losing a job, outgrowing a role, or realizing your career isn't fulfilling -- can feel like losing yourself. I experienced this firsthand when I walked away from my chosen career path at 25. Without it, I felt adrift, convinced I had to "figure out" my purpose before I could move forward. And that belief kept me stuck.
Your Career is not Your Purpose
Here's the liberating truth: purpose isn't about what you do, it's about who you are. While your career may be an expression of your purpose, it doesn't define it. For those of us who want to make a difference in the world, it's easy to believe purpose is about action. But the deeper truth is this: the consciousness with which you act matters more than the action itself.
True purpose requires looking inward. It's about aligning with your authentic Self, not searching for the perfect job. The journey of discovering your purpose involves peeling back layers of societal expectations, external validation and unconscious beliefs that shape your choices. This process might include:
- Meditation: Observing your thoughts helps you recognize how they shape your emotions, behaviors, and sense of Self.
- Contemplation: Transform challenges into gifts through deep reflection, at a deep embodied level.
- Embodied Practices: Activities like yoga, tai chi and qi gong reconnect you with your body's wisdom, ensuring your purpose is lived, not just conceptualized.
- Nature Connection: Tuning into the cycles of the natural world -- moon phases, solstices and equinoxes -- and spending time in nature can restore your inner rhythm and clarity.
- Wisdom Teachings: Getting to know yourself through teachings like the Gene Keys, Human Design and the Enneagram can illuminate your unique strengths and challenges
Purpose is a Journey, Not a Destination
Your purpose isn't a single answer waiting to be uncovered -- it's an ongoing evolution of becoming more of who you truly are. The path isn't always clear, and that's okay. Follow what resonates with you, experiment, and trust the process. Over time, your intuition and discernment with sharpen.
This inner work has profound outer effects. As you align with your true Self, you contribute to a collective transformation. The old systems of fear and division are crumbling, making way for a new paradigm rooted in unity, love and consciousness. Personal healing and growth are not separate from societal change -- they are the foundation for it.
The spiritual path isn't about retreating from the world's challenges. Instead, it invites us to engage with them from a place of clarity, truth and compassion. By transcending ego-driven fears and reconnecting with our divine essence, we create both personal healing and global transformation.
The journey of purpose is both inward and outward. By becoming more of who we truly are, we help birth a world the reflects humanity's highest potential.
And that is the most meaningful work of all.
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A version of this essay first appeared on my Substack: Soul Work for a Changing World. Visit to explore more essays, videos and reflections on living your soul's purpose and creating meaningful change.
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