Lately, I’ve been feeling happy but also quite lost. Positive, optimistic, and perplexed all at the same time. It is quite a strange feeling. I wake up very thankful and motivated for each new day, yet, somewhat unclear and anxious about where I am going. I’ve worked diligently in my career and accomplished many personal goals, but find that it’s time to tackle many more that are left on my list. Simply, I am at a crossroads.

Being an analytic, imaginative, multi-talented person is in many ways a good thing. However, at times, these traits often cause me to question and worry about things that are out of my control. Most recently, I have been feeling like I am in a box when maybe I’m supposed to be swinging from vines in the jungle in the sky. I always knew I could be free to do and be many things, but then what would my life purpose be if I did that?

From a young age, I’ve heard the word “purpose” more times than I would be able to count if I had hundreds of fingers on each hand. From books and magazines, messages from motivational speakers, sermons in church, or interviews on afternoon talk shows, people were constantly saying that “finding your purpose” is the most important thing in life. I’m sure you’ve heard it many times too.

You have no idea how exciting “having a purpose on this earth” makes me feel. I was the person that meditated, prayed, read, and searched for my one purpose. I believed that there was ONE area, career, or problem that I was supposed to solve. So, I thoughtfully chose a career path, changed majors, dabbled in this and that, and stayed open to the signs and confirmations that I was on the “right” path.

In my search, I ran into a problem. I have many interests, many talents, and many passions, how do I know which one is my primary purpose and which is secondary? Add my analytical mind to things and you have a recipe for many sleepless, stressful, anxious nights because I have to find this ONE path that the universe wants me to take. If I fail to find it, it might mean that I lived a life in vain.

Now, having lived a little while, I once again find myself trying to make sure my next moves are in line with my purpose. You see, my imagination and personality don’t quite fit a standard black-and-white life path. I want success, money, purpose, and legacy just like the next person, but I can’t choose just ONE road to bring me all of that. I’m not indecisive, I just have many interests and talents.

After talking with one of my mentors, he helped me find my purpose path. As we chatted about his life journey, he told me that doesn’t believe we are meant to spend our entire life searching for this ONE purpose. Rather, we have MANY purposes along the ONE road of life. This was my epiphany! Our purpose lies in taking EVERY step we take along the way.

Many of us spend our lives waiting for the one moment when we discover our purpose. When we find it, we spend the rest of our life doing that one thing, at that one place, with those same people. That very well may be someone’s purpose, but it’s not everyone’s. Your purpose may entail different jobs, different states, and many things you may not be able to foresee. As you walk your ONE road, your purpose unfolds. Who knows, maybe we even create our purpose by following the passions and ideas that have been birthed inside of us.

I really wish someone would have helped me frame my thinking on this a long time ago. Yes, they say not to be “the jack of all trades and master of none,” but maybe some of us are meant to be great at a few things because one is too limiting for us. Maybe your purpose is to show people like me that the sky is the limit, that true faith can make dreams come true, and that success can be painted by the stroke of our own hand.

Our purpose lasts our entire lives, so how silly of me to think I could figure it all out before I’ve even really started to live.