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3 Daring Ways to Discover Your Calling

3 different, unique ways to find the things that make you click

By Landon GirodPublished 4 years ago 6 min read
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What's your favorite color?

Whatever your answer was, I'm sure it was pretty clear, and specific right? Mine is blue. Although I love many colors, blues always managed to edge the others out. Yours could've been a combination of colors, or maybe just a couple. Nevertheless, you know them well.

Now, if I asked you what you thought your calling was, what would your answer be then?

Since you've clicked on this article, I'm guessing you probably have no earthly idea what it is.

That's totally fine. Most humans don't. And even the ones that do will change careers, as well as hobbies plenty of times in their life.

Some people know what their calling is, and decide to go work at a dead-end job they don't like for 40 years instead.

We'll discuss that more in a minute.

Whether you're the young kid (like me), who are confused by all the things you can do in this world, or someone playing it safe and working at a practical job, finding your calling would be pretty damn helpful.

So I have for you three daring ways to find your calling. I've taken these ways from some very inspirational people like Gary V, Martin Scorsese, Elon Musk, and great people I've known throughout my own life.

1. Stop being a realist.

I was once a realist.

I believed in settling for the more practical paths in life. I was partially raised this way by my family, who had all settled for blue-collar jobs when they were young.

My dad led by a rather ambitious example; having started his own lawn mowing business, then after graduating from chiropractic college, he began his own practice in our hometown. And though it failed, I've always admired him for trying as hard as he did.

This gave me a taste of entrepreneurship, and I did start several businesses of my own as I got older, even investing in the stock market.

However, my mindset was still a pessimistic one. There were some things I didn't want to pursue, because I would never make enough money while doing it. Like photography.

Then I stumbled upon a guy named Gary Vaynerchuk.

A speaker and entrepreneur, but so much more, Gary V taught me something conceptually vital to how I would live my life from then on.

He taught me that anything is possible. That doing what you love is far more valuable than money or comfort.

Utilizing optimism made me do some crazy shit.

So much so that even failure was just as good as a success. When I lost two thousand dollars due to one of my businesses failing, I was fine. I didn't go into a depression or feel like I lost.

Because I had learned failure can teach you so many things. Mostly how not to do things.

The greatest lesson that optimism teaches you is to set unrealistic goals. Which obviously goes against everything realistic thinking teaches.

After all, you can't hope to be the best basketball player in the world if your only goal is to play well at college.

2. Try everything.

You're calling is somewhere out there, you just have to find it.

- Logan Paul

Okay, he didn't actually say that.

As fortune cookie as it sounds, the fake Logan Paul quote is something I've lived for the past few years with firm conviction.

It's like the soul mate concept.

Although I think it's total bull, I do believe there are things out there we'd love and connect with but have never tried; things we could fall in love with, be passionate about, and possibly turn into a career.

So try EVERYTHING. Or at least anything that piques your interest. Don't think of it as a waste of time, because it's the opposite. A waste of time would be to continue looking for a passion instead of merely trying things.

It's like wandering through a maze, going the same route every time, and hitting a wall.

Taking new turns, trying out new routes will eventually get you out of the maze, and put your focus on something you genuinely love.

3. You may have already found it

I've repeatedly mentioned love in the context of finding something you love to do, but what kind of love am I talking about?

Martin Scorsese said something that I can't get out of my head. In his masterclass on filmmaking, Scorsese says:

"If you're pursuing filmmaking as a career, this isn't the class for you. If there's a story you have to tell, then I'll talk to you."

An acting teacher, named Michael Shurtleff, when asked whether or not you should become an actor, he said:

"if you have a choice and could be reasonably happy doing something else, then, by all means, go at once and do something else. Acting or writing or directing for theatre or television or film is only for the irrecoverably diseased, those who are so smitten with the need there is no choice."

And some computer sciency guy from Silicon Valley, I think his name is Elon Musk, once said:

"If something is important enough, or you believe something is important enough, even if you are scared, you will keep going."

These guys are all hugely successful in their fields, perhaps even the best and greatest. And they all have something in common, they are obsessed.

I'm not saying you have to be literally obsessed, but love is a form of obsession. Therefore, if you're calling is truly your calling, then you can't imagine taking another breath without it. You are in love.

It sounds romantic, perhaps, but life is romantic sometimes. So why can't your passion be too?

Now think back on the time you've spent in the past.

What are some things you've done in the past you're obsessed with, or really into that you're still into today? It could be something as simple as video games, anime, baseball, photography, or even watching movies.

And if you're thinking that you can't make money from those things, talk to the millions of people on twitch and Youtube making money from playing video games, or the YouTubers getting hundreds of thousands of subscribers from video essays on anime or movies.

There's always a way if you're creative enough.

Conclusion:

I recently found my calling.

My calling is telling stories. I've been addicted to creating stories with images and words since I was an eight-year old kid writing Sherlock Holmes fan fiction in an old notebook.

However, it took me 23 years to make this discovery.

Years of trying different things and trying to be someone I wasn't.

I'm not good with numbers, and I hate math, yet I still tried to become a real estate investor.

I spent hours reading about math formulas, taking a marketing course, only to get obscenely bored in the process.

It took me a while to learn who I was, how I thought, and what I'm good at.

It may take you even longer.

And that's okay.

You'll find that thing. The thing you can't help but get out of bed and do every single day.

Keep trying everything, don't think like a realist, and soon you'll fall in love.

I guarantee it

- Men's Warehouse guy with the cool gravelly voice

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About the Creator

Landon Girod

Hi I'm Landon Girod. I've had two books not make the New York Times bestseller list. And most of articles and short stories have yet to win any awards.

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