Finding Your Purpose – Part 2

Finding your purpose can be difficult, especially when you feel stuck in a job you don’t want. Were you able to write your mission and vision statement? If you didn’t, why not? Did you even try? If you did, did it clear anything up for you? I tried. I’m still not complete, but I feel like I am making forward progress. I received confirmation of what I don’t want to do any more over the last couple of weeks. That puts me halfway to my goal.

This past summer, I had to do something I never dreamed I would do. I decided to decline consideration to the Sergeants Major Academy. It would be the pinnacle rank to which many enlisted Soldiers aspire. At the time, I was worried that I had made the wrong decision because I had a good number and thought that I had a good chance for promotion. I never really felt that I had a chance anyway.

Then, a friend of mine sent me the number of people selected to attend the Academy. If not for declining promotion, I would have been the last person on the list for my job (MOS). I don’t like to brag about myself because I can’t be where I am today without so many amazing people guiding me along the path. However, I am proud of my work and humbled that the Army thought me worthy of the top enlisted rank. I know many people would love nothing more than to become a Sergeant Major in the US Army, but I felt great relief when I saw how many made it. That’s when I knew it was time to move on from this profession and on to the next phase of life.

Liking your job is good, but do you have passion for the work that oozes out of you so that others want to follow you? If you do, great! If you don’t, you still have time to find what does. Intrinsic motivation comes from your core values and loving what you do. It is built into you. This doesn’t mean that every day will be the best day ever. It just means that you know in your heart that your work is a means to an end. It’s a higher calling.

The point of all of this is that there is no amount of money, promotions, or work relationships that will satisfy you if you aren’t doing what you were meant to do on this earth. It will never be enough. I know many of you will not heed what I tell you because you think you are the exception. I thought I was the exception too. If I just got the next job with more responsibility, I would find joy in my work. As I learned, it wasn’t the responsibilities that I sought but the influence I had in leading and serving others. That’s what drove me in my work. The thought of giving people opportunities in life brings a fire to me. Now, go figure out your end goals and work towards them. I want you to thrive and succeed!

~Rey