“Under the banner of practicality, most of life becomes arranged to obscure and distract us from what called us to come to life in the first place. Most people remain unwilling to be extravagant enough to wander where their soul would lead them, adapting instead to an endless series of short-term goals. People easily misplace their deepest longings and tune themselves to someone else’s idea of life.”
Michael Meade, Fate and Destiny
Someday, we’re going to get one of our great modern-day philosophers, Michael Meade, to MEA. He’s probably the greatest mythologist society has had since Joseph Campbell. I’m a regular listener to his “Living Myth” podcast.
The truth is, I’ve had a fascination with the word “calling” ever since I read psychologist Abe Maslow’s warning in college: “One must respond to one’s fate or destiny or pay a heavy price. One must yield to it; one must surrender to it. One must permit oneself to be chosen.” The test of whether something is a calling is how naturally guided you are to it, especially if—to the outside observer—it seems to involve great toil or sacrifice. To others, your calling might be appalling. To you, it’s enthralling.
So, pick up the damn phone when your “inspired call” is coming in! Don’t distract yourself from your gut instinct. Your heart knows. And, if you want to learn a little more about my perspective on calling, feel free to watch this video interview with James Altucher called “Finding Your Calling at Any Age.”
P.S. I’m excited to be joined by international bestselling author Gay Hendricks tomorrow for a free online interview by Steven Morris about what it means to be a Modern Elder today. I hope you’ll join us. You can register here for the 11:30 am PT event.