Small Steps, Big Moves: Just one more!

I have always felt that that my calling is to teach. When I was a child and even in my teens, I remember teaching my peers and friends about what I knew and they would listen most of the time. Now with my job in the insurance industry, I’m able to teach people not only about how they plan their finances but also how to live. I may not be right all the time but when people say that they appreciate my help and ideas, I know I’m on the right track. I believe that everyone has a calling; some of us just don’t know what that is.
What is a calling?
To me it’s quite simply the definition is given by Joseph Campbell, which is to ‘follow your bliss’

How do you find your calling?
Many people confuse the process. They look for something important that can qualify as their calling. Still others may resort to self-sabotage or allow others to sabotage their ideas by asking ridiculous questions like “Are you sure you can do that?” or “But you don’t have the means to do that?”, “How promising can that be?”, “How far can you go in life with that?”, “How much can you earn from that?” or even “Who would want to marry you if you did that job?” So, for every dream or passion that you want to pursue, you may face resistance but the pain of not pursuing it at all can make you feel like a goner later. Think about that. It is perfectly okay to think of a calling in terms of a job, position, place, skill or talent but it is also fine to go beyond these to make a difference in the world, regardless of our profession, socio-economic status, colour or creed.
Try to do this very simple check. Ask yourself, if fear or money were not a factor or even pretend if one had a few months to live, what would you really like to do today, given the chance? You may have a clue about your calling now. And to understand how the calling makes you feel, I want to give you an analogy. I’m sure you have seen children playing at the playground. When they play, children lose themselves; they are immersed in the present, they lose track of time, they can go on and on. Why? They are doing what they love and are having fun. They may be drained, depleted and exhausted but somehow they have the energy to go on. Similarly, if you feel energetic, excited and what you’re doing feels like fun for the very first time, you’ve probably found your passion, your calling.
No one coached me on how to find my calling. As much as it may seem like an accident that I chanced upon the life insurance career, I want to say that nothing in life is an accident or a coincidence. I have always dreamed of a better lifestyle, and I must have attracted Shankar into my life. Furthermore, what swung me into action was Shankar’s belief in me. I also realized that I had to do a lot of small jobs to realize my BIG job. I’m thrilled to see many opportunities for the young people today. They go on a gap year, do community work, do internships and even work on startups. As you try your hands on these, you’re likely to narrow down your doubts and settle for what you’re passionate about. Give it a try.