5 Reasons People Don’t Live Their Purpose, Part 3: Money

In the past two articles, I’ve covered the obstacles of not knowing what you are passionate about and time or commitment issues. This article will cover the topic of money.

Once you have identified the direction you want to go and have committed to the time to focus on it, an issue that comes up for many is having the money to make the transition from what you are doing now for income to what you what you are passionate about and see as your purpose.

First, it’s important to realize that no experience is wasted. What you are doing right now has the seeds of your life’s work within it. Skills you have developed doing whatever work you have had in life, what classes you have taken and even your hobbies are all building up qualities that you use in your life’s work. In some cases, it isn’t necessary to leave what you are currently doing at all. Simply by making some changes in your present job, you could take on tasks that better utilize your talents and abilities and are more in alignment with what you love to do. No matter what your job situation, you can begin now to live in more alignment with your purpose by beginning to use those skills right where you are. When you look for the positive aspects of your present situation and pour love into what you are doing, you create the energy and circumstances for the changes that you seek.

One example of this is a woman who was working at a financial institution as a receptionist. She hated her job because it was either boring or frenzied, with the associates all wanting her at the same time. She began to look for other work but nothing was panning out. She decided while she was looking, she would become the best receptionist ever. She came in with a smile, was exceptionally helpful and friendly to anyone who called the office or came in, and went out of her way to help the associates. This woman had great computer skills and loved working with numbers. It was not long before her enthusiasm was noticed and within the company a job opened up that would utilize her talents and paid more money. She was promoted to this position and found this work to be what she loved. She had held the vision of what she wanted while doing her best at what was before her.

There are times, however, when you are getting clear signals to move in a different planning stepsdirection. You may want a job in a different field or to start your own business. It may require classes and certifications (as in my case) before you can make the move, or an investment in a business. For this you will need a plan. Remember that you don’t have to do it all at once. Take small steps while you are still at your present job. What are the steps you will need to take to get where you want to go? What do you need to have in place to make your jump? Make a list of your goals, and chunk them down into actionable steps. Prioritize the steps and start taking consistent actions, however small, each day or week. This is where commitment comes in and you will know just how passionate you are about what you want!
If you have savings, how much are you willing to use to help your transition? Can you live on your savings if necessary and for how long? Be practical about this and seek the advice of a trusted financial advisor.

Remember that you don’t have to have all the resources in place to start. Often, if you are holding your vision with joy and taking small steps the resources will show up as you go, in the form of money, people, and opportunities that you couldn’t have imagined on your own. Don’t make money your excuse for not getting started.