Three Keys to Finding Your Calling

The year was 2002 and I was a District Manager in Corporate America responsible for over 500 employees and 17 locations. My boss called me with some great news. The Vice President of the company wanted to offer me the position of Midwest Regional Manager. I would be responsible for over 5,000 employees in 7 Midwest States. The promotion would include a significant increase in pay and I would be one of the youngest Regional Managers in the history of the company!

I spoke to my colleagues and they advised me to accept the position, and that saying NO would be career suicide. I asked my boss what he thought and he agreed. 

I took everyone’s advice into consideration and said NO to the opportunity. 

On the surface, taking the position seemed like a no brainer, but it failed The Line- up Test because it did not line up with the vision that I had for my life. The single factor that will help you to say NO to the wrong opportunity is clarity of purpose. When you are clear on your life’s purpose, your gut will tell you when you are taking a course of action that does not line up -- even when it seems like a good idea on the surface.

The question becomes:  How do you go about finding your calling? Keep reading and you will discover my three keys to finding your calling:

Pro Bono
This is a Latin phrase for professional work that is done for free. If we lived in a world without money, what would you spend your 5-8 hours doing? Your answer is an indication of your calling. I am sure that Lebron James and Tiger Woods would play their respective sports if there was no money involved. 

Passion
If you could make a difference for anyone or any cause, what would it be? I have observed certain ministers, police officers, and teachers in action. The passion that they demonstrate is a sign that they consider their work a calling and not just a job. 

Personal Abilities
What talent do you possess for which people are always complimenting you? Those compliments are confirmation of the direction that you should pursue. For example, if people in different settings are always complimenting your public speaking ability, joining your local Toastmasters club would be a good next step. Once you enter an environment that allows you to cultivate your gifts, your next steps become clearer.

I am living proof that when you make decisions based on what you believe you are called to do, everything works itself out. Three months after I said no to the promotion, the company went through a restructure and eliminated the job. If I had not listened to my gut, I would have been unemployed.

What would you do pro bono? What you are passionate about? What are your personal abilities? You will find your calling and make your future decision making process much easier once you answer these questions. 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. To get additional information on how to discover your calling, download my latest ebook, One Moment in Time.

What Drives You?

I thought that I had the right focus, but I was wrong. After graduating from college, my ultimate goal was to make as much money as possible. Seven years after graduation, I had achieved my objective. 

I was a 29 year old Silver BMW driving executive of a national automotive service chain, with 500 employees that reported to me. We had just won an award for having the most profitable District in the entire organization. I had made it to the top of the corporate ladder. 

One morning while driving my BMW, I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in the rear view mirror. The person that I saw looking back at me was someone that dreaded the idea of going into the office! 

How could this be? I was making more money at age 29 than my father ever made, and I had the car to prove it. Suddenly, I remembered the following quote from the Author Michael Josephson: “It’s not what you drive, it’s what drives you!” 

What do you see when you look in the mirror? Do you dread the idea of going to your job or business each morning? Unfortunately, many people that I know are simply “going through the motions”. This lack of passion is a root cause of procrastination. The following test can help you determine if you are procrastinating because of a lack of passion for what you are doing:

Snooze Button Test
In the morning, if you find yourself hitting the SNOOZE button on your alarm clock at least two times before waking, you are not positioned in your passion. Hitting snooze, is your way of procrastinating because you are not looking forward to starting the day. 

Think about it, if you knew that you were about to do something that you were born to do, you would not delay getting started. This snooze button test can help you to determine if you are in the right business or line of work. 

The question becomes, how do you determine what drives you so that you are not failing the snooze button test? Keep reading and you learn the three questions that will help you clarify your passions: 

The Three Questions

1. What are you passionate about?

2. What does success mean to you?

3. If you could make a difference for anyone or any cause, what would that difference be? 

Answering these questions made me realize that I felt the most passion when I was helping business executives and delivering speeches. Since I have come to his realization, doors have opened for me to do what I love. Today, I never have a morning where I dread the idea of doing what I do.

So there you have it. Whether you drive a Hummer or a “Hooptie”, asking yourself the three questions will help you to pass the snooze button test and drive you away from procrastination! 

What drives you? 

Sincerely,
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

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How to Move From Long Shot to Legend

“I thought that I was waiting on the right opportunity, but really the right opportunity was waiting on me.”

When I was growing up, I wanted to play in the NBA like Michael Jordan. One day, a “friend” of mine told me that there are 17,500 Division 1 college basketball players. He then told me that out of that number, only 48 actually get drafted to the NBA. That is a staggering statistic. 

Not believing that I had a chance, I practiced procrastination instead of basketball. I thought of myself as a long shot. The basketball world would not be what it is today if Jordan had procrastinated the way I did. Young players from around the world would have to find another source of inspiration. 

Have you ever had a lofty goal, but let someone talk you out of it because of the long odds? Is the fact that 90% of small businesses fail keeping you from pursuing your dream of entrepreneurship? Only a small percentage of books become best sellers. Is this keeping you from becoming an author? Like Mike, you were born with a greatness to contribute. The question becomes, why should you pursue a goal even though the numbers are not on your side? 

Purpose
To answer this question I will share a personal experience. One morning, I arrived at the airport with the goal of catching an early flight. When I got to the security terminal, I discovered that the line was wrapped around the corner with other people that had the same goal. I would surely miss my flight. Then I saw my friend Paul near the front of the line. He motioned for me to come up where he was. We embraced and he let me in front of him. 

Your purpose is like my friend Paul - when you know and embrace it, you can move to the front of the line ahead of others that have the same goal! It would be a tragic shame to let someone talk you out of what you were born to do. Being clear on your purpose and moving forward with passion will allow you to become a legend instead of a long shot. 

Sincerely, 
Eric M. Twiggs
Your Procrastination Prevention Partner

PS. The key to achieving your big dream is accomplishing small daily goals. For additional information on the goal-setting process, download my ebook One Moment in Time.