At 10 years old I had two dreams, both polar opposites. The first was that I wanted to be a hippie and travel the world helping people in a brightly-colored '70s bus and the second childhood dream of mine was that I wanted to be a lawyer.
Twenty years later I am writing this from a house-bus in the middle of the Australian countryside. I study law and run my own online business helping women become coaches and build businesses that they adore.
But life can often be deceiving. A lady on Facebook messaged me today asking me how I had become such a success in such a short time, while she was still struggling. She specifically asked me, "What was my turning point?"
The turning point I said, was not a turning point at all, but small steps taken daily that led me to where I am. Keeping in mind this lady was comparing my work to hers, an unfavorable task to do with anyone. I have been a coach for around 12 years, if you have known me for six months you simply are seeing the tip of the iceberg.
There is nothing I could say which would help her out. I could see the mindset that she was coming from, it's one that I see in so many people today. The need for instant success, recognition and praise, the need for instant clients and overnight success in their businesses. The need for goals and striving, to fit life into a box with a checklist and hourly planning.
As I went about my life I didn't always set out on the right path to fulfill my childhood dreams. I made blunder after blunder and have eventually arrived at where I am today.
I don't necessarily believe in goals, but I do believe in intentions.
My goal over the last few years was never to get a law degree or build a business. My calling was. Both things I was called to do, a silent space of knowingness pulled me aside one day and showed me the path. I didn't set goals around the path that my calling led me to, I would set loosely laid intentions. My intentions were not based on what can I receive, but what am I going to give in this situation? What can I bring to the table that nobody else can? What can I do authentically and truthfully?
Just like the little girl growing up, I didn't set goals, I didn't set ideals and expectations. I just affirmed intentions and responded to my calling.
Why am I now realizing some of my unconventional goals from childhood? Because I had set the intention and handed it over to the universe. I allowed the process to unfold organically and when the timing was right I was called by an internal knowing and I acted.
I listened to the inner knowing and followed a voice, I honestly cannot say it is my own, but a voice I have come to trust in business, life and law. If I was going to rely on setting goals and walking the conventional route I would be striving for a lie far greater than what I know the truth to be.
Moving forward, I'll be honest. I don't like goals, I feel they are too restricting. I don't like depending on the world to show me whether I am a success or not. Moving forward I will embrace what my 10-year-old self knew: "Listen to the calling, set the intention and then don't worry because everything will happen when it's meant to." Bless her soul, for the truth I really think is more often than not an unconventional one individual to us all.
What's your calling, your truth or your intentions?
-----------
HuffPost's GPS for the Soul app is based on two truths about human beings. First: We all have a centered place of wisdom, harmony and balance within us. Second: We're all going to veer away from that place, again and again and again. What we need is a great course-correcting mechanism -- a GPS for the Soul -- to help us find our way back to that centered place, from which everything is possible.
Because no one knows better than you what helps you de-stress and tap into that place of peace inside yourself, it's important for you to create your very own GPS guide -- a personalized collection of whatever helps you course-correct. Email us at GPS@huffingtonpost.com and we'll set you up with your very own HuffPost blogger account to share your guide on the site. If you're already a blogger, we encourage you to upload your personal guide today. We can't wait to see what you have to share.