Philanthropist John D. Rockefeller III once noted, "The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it, put your whole soul into it -- every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have."

What about you? What interests, fascinates and enthralls you? Do you love to draw, take photographs or dream of becoming an actress? Perhaps you are drawn to more scholarly pursuits and enjoy researching favorite topics or studying how things work. Whatever it is, know that there is a clue in these interests that point you in the direction of the life you were born to live.

If you start work at age twenty, work forty hours a week and retire at age sixty-five, you will have worked almost 100,000 hours. Wouldn't it be wonderful to spend those hours doing something you're passionate about and something that allows you to contribute your unique skill and interest to the world? If you don't begin now, when will you do it?

It's not something that needs to happen overnight. All that is required of you right now is that you make a commitment to begin the process of uncovering those interests. You don't have to know specifically what it is or even how you'll make a living at it right now. Take it one step at a time. This is a process that will unfold in stages.

Determine whether it's time for a change. How do you feel when you get up in the morning? Do you dread the day ahead of you? Are you tired, bored and exhausted? That's your inner guidance system at work. Those are all clues from your intuition that it's time for a change in your life. There may be other situations beyond your work that cause you to feel this way. However, work is often the culprit simply because of the number of waking hours we spend at our jobs. Here are some fairly common issues to think about:

1. Do you want to be doing the same work next year?
2. Do you like your career, but feel you're in the wrong job?
3. Do you long for the weekends when you can work on hobbies or other 
    interests?
4. Is there some other career choice that has always fascinated you?
5. Do you need to find something new that is fresh and creative?
6. Has your work become predictable and boring?
7. While change may seem scary, do you find yourself thinking a lot 
    about switching careers?
8. Is there something you feel passionate about that you'd like to try if
    only you could figure out a way to earn a living?
9. Do you long for a way to make a contribution to the world and don't
    feel you can do it in your present work?
10. Does your life feel out of balance? (Too much work and not enough time 
     for your family, social and personal life?)

If you answered "yes" to most of the questions, it's definitely time for a career change. If you're not clear about your next steps, your goal should be to become clear. Make an appointment with a career counselor; take a class on the topic of career change, and/or begin to read some books on the topic of following your passion.

Make an inner decision that it's time for a change. Ask yourself open-ended questions such as "What would I enjoy doing for work?" "What next steps can I take that will lead me in the right direction?" "Who can I talk with that will help me with these choices?" "What could I do that would help others and be fun for me?" As you go about your day, pay attention to any inner nudges or impulses that point you in a new direction.

Following are some more questions to ask yourself that will help you begin to focus on getting in touch with your life purpose. As you reflect on this list and your answers, don't let the issue, "How could I make a living at this?" intrude for the time being.

We often put the cart before the horse. Author and speaker, Deepak Chopra noted this, saying "When we seek money, or a good relationship, or a great job, what we are really seeking is happiness. The mistake we make is not going for happiness first. If we did, everything else would follow." So with that in mind, you may want to get pen and paper and write down your answers to the following:

What are your gifts?

As you look at your answers, are there any themes that emerged? Were there any "aha" moments that caught you by surprise? Once you have your list of accomplishments, competencies, values and passions, there are a few more steps. The answer to the question, "What's my life's purpose and how can I make a living at it?" may not come overnight. One of the qualities we must develop is that of patience. Napoleon Hill, the author of the classic, Think and Grow Rich, makes a good case for this very attribute when he states, "Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success."

Lynn Robinson, M.Ed., is one of the nation's leading experts on the topic of intuition. Her most recent books include Real Prosperity, Compass of the Soul and Divine Intuition. Lynn is a popular and widely recognized author and motivational speaker, as well as a columnist and the Intuition-At-Work Expert for iVillage.com. Her free monthly "Intuition Newsletter" is available at her Web site, http://www.LynnRobinson.com.

© 2004 Lynn Robinson, M.Ed. All rights reserved in all media.