3 Clues to Your Calling

I talk to so many people who feel unsure about their true purpose or calling in life. 

Even reading those words might feel a little daunting, right? I mean, "calling" sounds so important, so big. Honestly, it's just easier to avoid the subject and go about your life. 

But what if you could hit another level of connectedness in your life. What if you discovered more about why you're here on earth and how you can live your life to its fullest?

I'm convinced we all can, and after decades of working with leaders of all types, I'm starting to see the pattern. In fact, I think there are at least three clues that can help each of us feel more in-sync with your purpose.

When I was a kid I wanted to be four things: (1) A president, (2) A farmer, (3) An astronaut, and (4) An architect. Funny that I ended up as a pastor, right? Actually I was seventeen when something clicked and I realized there was something drawing me into ministry. It was a turning point for me. But like anything, I've needed tons of reassurance, redirection, and sharpening of focus along the way. These three clues have really helped me to keep honing in on why I'm here.

They're really very simple. If you're like me, you need a sticky way to remember important things, so I came up with three rhyming words to help me call these up anytime I need to: WIRED, REQUIRED, and TIRED.

Clue #1 - How am I wired? (Maximize this) 

Are you a task or people person? Do you prefer a faster pace or a slower pace? How do you feel about risk? Knowing your strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and desires is super helpful in developing a clear sense of purpose for your life. While God often gives us freedom in how we express our purpose, our wiring is a big hint about which direction that purpose will lead us. 

As an example, early on I discovered a love for leadership. I enjoy the challenge of helping people grow, and I love the process of building groups, teams, and organizations for impact. But I wasn't sure what shape it would take until I started experimenting. I remember a season as a young adult when I had been encouraged to get involved with singing. After several attempts, I realized I was really bad! Singing is not my jam. I had to let my dreams of glory die, and move on to the next experiment that would help me identify my wiring. 

(Hint: here's a great way to get more familiar with your own wiring: Working Genius Assessment).

Clue #2 - What is required? (Master this) 

Because life is a continuous stream of changing seasons, your actual "job description" is going to change throughout your life. This is why asking the question regularly is helpful. For instance, how would you currently describe your primary responsibility? Is it best summed up with the word, "Mom" or "CEO" or "Data Specialist" or "Creative Director?

In my own life, I've meandered from Kitchen Supervisor at Dairy Queen, to Delivery Driver at a glass company, to Groups Director at a church, to Husband and Father, to Author and Podcaster, to Lead Pastor, to Coach and Consultant, and more. Though I haven't appreciated every season equally, I can now see how God was allowing me to gain experience and learn obedience through each of the twists and turns.

Whatever your current role is, believe that it's been given to you by God for this season lean into it "as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people" (Colossians 3:23). Like me, you'll probably find that the skills you build in one season come in very handy in the next.

Clue #3 - What makes me tired? (Minimize this) 

Your God-given calling will create energy, not drain it. Think of the people you admire most, who have managed to focus the bulk of their work activities in a direction where they're really strong and make a big difference. Notice that they just seem to have boundless energy for their main pursuit? That's because when we do what we were made to do, it puts wind in our sails.

That's not to say that you won't actually get tired. But there's a good tired and a bad tired. There's the kind of tired that happens after an exhilarating event or activity, where you were excited to be involved and you were giving it your all, knowing that your effort was making an impact. Then there's the kind of tired where you dread the output and you're not connected to the results. It's like you're losing altitude as you try to keep going.

As a fairly driven, task-focused person, this one has been tough for me to figure out. I wake up with energy and I like a challenge, so sometimes I'm months or even years into an endeavor before I realize it's not for me. I remember a few years back when our church was "one church in multiple locations." The experts call that "multisite church." And I loved the idea of it. I figured we could keep starting campuses and reaching people by doing the same thing in different places over and over again. The problem was, it required me to be very involved in managing everyone to "sameness." I was losing energy. For the longest time I didn't know what was wrong with me. Until I realized, I am not energized by sameness. I'm energized by helping people find their uniqueness and launching them to express it. That's when we decided to launch our campuses as unique churches and put more effort into church planting. Instantly my energy level returned and I've been feeling more alive ever since.

Recognizing the things that bring you energy and moving most of your activity into those lanes is a key to a life of sustained joy and impact. Sometimes the first step is to just find the things that drain you. As you do, find ways to delegate, diminish or dump those things from your schedule.

I hope you'll put these three words in the back of your mind as you go about your week: WIRED, REQUIRED, TIRED. Then jot down your thoughts about your experiences and keep paying attention. The goal is to keep aligning yourself to the design of the Creator, so that you can express that unique purpose & calling He has given you. The more you do, the bigger difference you'll be making in the world.