When I stand before God at the end of my life
I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left
and could say "I used everything you gave me."
--Erma Bombeck
A while ago, my friend Julie gave me a little tray I use every morning. It has the quote above written on it. Was she trying to tell me something? I had not been in touch for some time and this week, called to catch up with her news. She has found her life mission.
For nine years, we ran a local Possible Dream Group helping people new to the area find their way around, meet new friends -- to identify and realize their possible dreams. Julie is a devoted mum to her two teenage children, and a friend who will go out of her way to help others.
A few months ago, she was reflecting on what a privileged life her children lead, and that many children in the world are not so fortunate. She was keen that they be aware of those others. She heard about a project being run in Kenya, The Isaiah Trust, working with impoverished children, and was moved to find out more about it.
She was invited to go see the work for herself. Keen to assist, she asked what she could possibly do to help. Did she have any skills or ability to contribute anything in that situation? The director said simply: Be a friend.
It was with some apprehension that she left for her two week visit. During it, her heart was touched and opened. She found what she now calls her life mission. Everything she has done in her life so far has prepared her for it.
She did become a friend to the children cared for in the orphanage. She sat and listened to them, talked with them, shared what she had with her, played with them. She encouraged their dreams of a better life, sharing their enthusiasm for a good education and the hope it gave them. She helped a mum who had no water dampen her baby's face. She was instrumental in helping one little boy escape the brutality of his violent home in the slums to join the orphanage and begin his education. She witnessed his transformation from being hungry, ragged and despondent to standing with pride in his school uniform with a big smile on his face.
Julie had extended her family. Her natural calling as a mum and friend had made the experience easy and graceful for her. She is now applying the skills she learned in sales, marketing and presentation in a major multinational corporation to invite support back home for the Trust. Her kids have been inspired by her passion and tell their friends at school about their "cool" mum and her mission.
Julie's passion for the orphanage is serving to help her develop new skills. She is taking an open university course in Creative Thinking to find new ways she can serve the children by gaining attention and support from people in her local community.
Before we put the phone down, she suggested I go to this site to see how I fit on the scale of the global rich. Check it out for yourself. It is quite interesting: Global Rich List
Doing charitable work is not everyone's calling. Julie's story however illustrates how a calling to personal fulfillment can take place. It involves being aware, and listening for the guidance and signs you are being given.
1. Knowing Your Passion
Go to the Clear Results Self-Assessment to explore your inner motivations. It is free of charge. Be open to what you might learn about yourself through it.
Your passion will speak to you through your dreams, through circumstances around you that touch your heart, through a clear sense of knowing: this is what I must do.
2. Expressing Your Vocation
In response to my article last week, "Finding Your Personal Motivational Trend", one reader wrote to me:
I did a short 'finding your passion' exercise that was very similar to the one in your article and what I arrived at was that I do indeed know my passions  but don't have a clue as to how to fully/realistically pursue them.ÂI was on Huffpo just catching up on news, not searching for this specific info, and came across your article.  Just reading about how you shifted -- that you can shift, to think about it that way is fab Your experience of creating the cookbook and how you used those same skills, and strengths to do other things is EXACTLY what I need to discover for myself. I haven't a clue as to how to start to make the shifts but its encouraging to read your piece.
Any chance of a follow up article on how to discover/discern the paths for shifting??? :)
When you know your vocation and passion, you then need to go into the world to find opportunities to express them. Keep an open mind. Allow yourself to be led. Talk to people who might be able to participate with you, or contribute in some way. Explore. Have fun! Your passion has energy. It will direct you.
3. Finding Fulfillment
If you have yet to find your life mission, you might, like Julie, start with something simple. Extend your kindness, and be a friend to someone. You never know where that may lead you.
In response to my recent article, "The Power of Expressing Your Love,""dianecurriesam" wrote:
I just spent the day with my six-year-old son, who, in between wearing a crazy hat and skipping and singing down the street, kept randomly kissing my hand and telling me how much he loved me. Sometime in the midst of all this, I thought how beautiful the world would be if we were all as free and expressive as children.
WATCH: Dionne Warwick -- What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love
Do you have a talent that you have not yet fully expressed? Have you ever been inspired through your dreams? How do you recognize when your heart is calling you?
Please feel free to leave a comment below, or contact me at anne@annenaylor.com

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John R. Coats: Does a Calling Have to Be Religious?
Could it be that all too often life is fired at us at "point blank range" and we just have to get on with it? I think it may also have to do with we do not grow up with a great enough sense of value about who we are and the value we have to contribute.
I appreciate your thoughts.
With warmest good wishes to you,
Anne
I think in some ways we are able to open up to new passions (as in Ed feeling compelled to learn how to paint) and there are some passions we seem to come back to again and again. It is this area of life - the things we never grow tired of, that says a lot about the source of our true passion. Clearly one of yours is inspiring the rest of us!
Thanks for a lovely post, as always.
K
So good to see you here again. Thank you for dropping by and for your kind words.
I simply love the richness I see in people in all walks of life and I love to see it being expressed in all of the many forms. It is that human spirit that overcomes difficulties and makes possible what seems impossible. I find this world is remarkable because of the extraordinary people living in it.
I love the uniqueness you express on these pages! Your gifts are a joy.
With love and appreciation,
Anne
“Finding Your Passion†is central to raising kids too. In many ways, children are guided through pre-determined gates toward the beliefs and expectations of well-intended adults, and of course, there is peer and pop culture media influence too.
Children who are discouraged directly by criticism or reticule, or indirectly by pressure, lack of resource, or limited support, often do not pursue interests or talents for which they would have passion, and suffer a vocational lifetime of small satisfactions beyond remuneration.
I am not saying back away from parental influence. On the contrary, parents are uniquely in a position to ensure well-rounded children, by allowing and supporting a variety of experiences. Nor am I saying every time a child starts to finger paint, assume the seeds of artistic passion are germinating. I am saying, children need both permission and support from their parents to discover their interests, and the freedom of self to proceed with, as you say on your site, “…awakening the individual's highest aspirations.â€
It is not about finding your passion by grammar school graduation; it is about building a set of behaviors (skills, habits, & attitudes) that allow self-evaluation and reflection on an area of interest in childhood and beyond; when this happens, your three steps will be easier to follow.
Thanks for another inspiring post!
Lawson Meadows
PS: This article hits close to home. Only in the last five years did I discover my passion.
Now, I am really curious to know the passion you discovered in the last five years!
I so agree with what you say about supporting kids in finding their passion. And yes to building skills, habits and attitudes to that end, It is a relatively new idea that children can be raised to honour their innate abilities and talents, and it makes a lot of sense to me.
Your words about "allowing and supporting a variety of experiences" also ring true for me. The best parents I know seem to do that. Richness of experience leads to a fulfilling life.
I appreciate very much your comment and contribution to the discussion.
With love,
Anne
Do you have a talent that you have not yet fully expressed? funny you should ask. I have always wanted to paint. I have taken classes and feel driven but still haven't broken through as of yet.
How do you recognize when your heart is calling you? it is powerful and so very real! The truth is in the heart. Love is the guru :-)
Blessings - Ed
I look forward to the day when your painting is ready to flourish and blossom! How fun that will be. Everything has its own timing.
So true - love is surely the guru - none better. For one with so much heart, you should know!
Blessings and serene peace to you,
Anne
I love your expression: :they might just be in the sweet spot where their passion meets the world's need"
That says a lot to me. Because I think there is a place where our talents and passions do indeed serve some aspect of the world's need. We are not entirely accidental.
Thank you for dropping by!
With love and blessings to you,
Anne
Yes, she is a wonderful person. Her friends are fortunate.
With love,
Anne
Thanks Anne. Many blessings to you, Judith
Thank you so much for your presence here and your very kind words.
I love what you say about essential qualities being those like voice, kindness and enthusiasm. We do not have to be genius or famed to make an important contribution. Which is why I was touched by Julie's story in that she is simply using who she is to make a difference.
Your image of "lavishly letting these qualities loose in the world" is fabulous! What a celebration that would be.
As I have mentioned before, I love writing and if what I write has been useful to one person, then it was worth it.
With much love and many blessings to you,
Anne
I create curriculum and programs for young people to help them identity their strengths and move them toward their passions...why not start with children, it will lead to more fulfilling adult lives and waste less time. You are doing great work, keep it up. www.strengthsmovement.com
Thank you very much for contributing here. What an inspired work you are doing.
I so agree with you that strengths and motivations are best identified and supported at a young age. It makes so much sense to me. Start with the children - YES! They then have the foundation in place for their lives.
Wishing you every success with your venture.
With love,
Anne
I have to pass your article on Twitter and Facebook. I've been blogging this very subject......
So true - "The purpose is to share your talent(s) with the world. You never know how it could impact someone."
No talent did any good by being sat upon, that's for sure. Also, there is so much fun to be had by sharing them. The world is a much richer place for our talents being expressed.
Wishing you much joy with all of yours,
Anne
I'm over that now. I just LOVE the feeling of talking to someone, sharing information with them and hear or see them smile and say "that's exactly what I needed". Nothing fancy, as simple as giving directions. It just puts me on a high, don't know what that is but there it is.
And now, strangely enough I was offered a job as a marketing/telemarketing sales rep which I was not seeking - too low for me was my thought - and yet, I just love talking to every single person I contact. The manager says he loves hearing me speak because I sound like I'm romancing the professionals who I contact, huh.
So I decided to follow it and what do you know, a businessman called me back to ask me to represent another of his new company because my voice was exactly what he needed. So, it's interesting that I find this article today.
I'm just going with this flow for now.
Lovely article Anne, as usual
Thank you
Catherine
What a joy to see you here again! And I absolutely love hearing how you are going with the flow.
We never really know what goodness might be waiting for us right around the next corner when we are open for it.
Much joy and many blessings your way,
Anne
You seem to have a passion for vulnerable people from suckers from their money. Some racket.