Knowing Your Calling

My internet radio show is one of life's pleasures. Since I switched to it, as opposed to a show where I did all the talking, it has allowed me to speak to some amazing individuals and discuss their work, their thoughts and frequently what you might call their "calling".

Yesterday's show with Gregg Levoy, author of Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life, was another great one. I encourage you to listen to it here.

But I wanted to offer you this nugget from the show: Gregg's take - based on his many interviews of individuals who believe they have found and pursued their calling - regarding my question about how we know when a calling is a calling and when it is wishful thinking or daydreamoing or fantasizing. Here's what he said:

You know a calling is true when it comes from the soul and not false when it would be coming from the ego (see also Self-Esteem, the Ego, Achievements & What Others Think of You) when:

• it keeps coming back
• it comes through many different directions, people and opportunites that are offered, such that you may notice a clustering effect and you begin to connect the dots
• your enthusiasm sustains itself over long periods of tine
• you have a true affinity to pull off the mundane "crap" that needs to be done in order to bring your calling to life
• however ... you are only going to be able to figure out whether it truly was a calling by the results.

Hence Gregg recommends: do it! Commit to it for at least six months and see what happens.

Related Articles:

• Finding A Meaning for Your Life
• Radio Shows on Rewiring the Soul (a list of radio shows by subject to July 31, 2010)

Photo Credit: Filomena Scalise (Desert at Night)