As I was preparing several posts for the week, it dawned on me that I’ve never really shared why I do what I do. Why I invest so much time into creating posts for Daily Dose’s Instagram and Facebook pages. Why I spend hours writing blogs that I’m not even sure people read. Why I devote so much of my free time to something that doesn’t make money.
Today, I’m sharing with you a small snippet of my story. I’ll shed some light on how I finally figured out my WHY. However, this is only a portion of my process. Stay tuned for next week’s post to learn the tangible steps I took to unravel my purpose-driven potential.
Find What Fuels You
It’s really quite simple.
I love this space – the personal development, growth-mindset space. It pays dividends far beyond the initial intake. Growth is the value I hold highest in my life. It is the most important thing I do every single day because it impacts every part of my life.
I found my WHY. I identified the reason for which I believe I’ve been placed on this Earth. And it fuels me every damn day.
It’s what pushes my limp body out of bed at 5:20 am. It’s what motivates me to stay up long past my bedtime to write blog posts. I see the future version of myself clearer everyday as I invest time into developing my mind and creating content for these pages.
When you have a strong WHY- a really strong, passionate, purpose-driven WHY- the validation you receive from doing it doesn’t matter. That isn’t what fuels you. You do it because that is what you were created to do.
Identify Your Standout Skill
We all desire to identify our passion point – the specific thing (or things) that light a fierce fire within us. One way to identify your passion is to determine your standout skill.
What is your standout skill? Where do you naturally excel? What qualities and characteristics do others identify as unique to you? If you are uncertain, ask loved ones and coworkers. Anyone that spends extended periods of time with you will likely have an inkling as to what you naturally do well. Oftentimes, it is easier for others to identify these skills in us rather than recognize them ourselves.
If you’re like me, you won’t listen the first time. For years, I was told by my family, friends, pastor, and teachers that I am personable and others are naturally drawn to me. At face value, this sounded useless! I translated their response into “niceness” – I was a nice and caring individual. What was so special about that?
Let me be clear: There is a reason they called that specific skill out. Do not downplay what others see in you. You are uniquely you and to omit a single one of your talents is of major disservice to yourself.
Leverage Your Standout Skill in Real Life
I love words. They are my best friend. It’s like hand-picking a bouquet of flowers. I have the opportunity to string together the perfect set of words to describe an environment or emotion. Writing is one of my stand out skills.
This realization didn’t happen quickly. It took years to understand the link between loved ones telling me I’m “personable” and using words to exemplify that relatability. As you seek your standout skills, I challenge you to go all in. Ask everyone that you love and trust to share what they believe to be your unique talents and abilities. Write every word down; don’t discredit a single statement.
After you’ve collected this information, write down things you do everyday that utilize that specific talent. For example, my loved ones tell me that I’m personable. I then think of things I do everyday that reinforce their assertion (small talk with the barista at Starbucks, prioritize one on one time with friends, etc.). Continue this process for each standout skill. Eventually, you’ll have a list of your unique talents and how you leverage them in your daily life.
Practice Makes Progress
The standout skills that had the most examples written down from your everyday life are arrows pointing you in the direction of your purpose. Perhaps you have more pruning to do before you can fully embrace your potential however, this exercise is an excellent start.
“He who has a why to live for can endure any how”
– Friedrich Nietzsche