I know that writing is my true purpose in this world.

I know it’s a major part of my work.

The ability to write a certain way is imprinted in my DNA.

 

But there’s a difference between knowing your purpose and actually living it.

There’s a Pacific and an Atlantic ocean between the two.

 

Writing is a major part of my purpose, but I haven’t always lived it.

In corporate, I used maybe .01% of my full writing capacity, even as a corporate copywriter.

When you write the same thing day in and day out and spend a much larger percentage of your time on menial tasks other than writing, then no, you’re probably not living your purpose.

I wasn’t living my true purpose.

 

 

So, how do you know if writing is your true purpose?

 

Well, first, you’re good at it.

Although that seems obvious, it took me a long time to figure out that I was. Teachers told me. Friends told me. Others told me. But I just figured everyone else could write just fine. I didn’t think there was anything notable about what I could do.

It took a little bit of convincing and seeing other people’s writing to come to the realization.

If people tell you you’re a great writer, then take that as your sign.

 

You feel like you’re masquerading.

If you feel like you’re a born writer masquerading as an accountant, lawyer, executive assistant, etc, then you might be ignoring your true calling.

Not that there’s anything wrong with those professions. No, no, I would never say being a writer is better, it’s only better for certain people who were meant to be writers!

Heck, maybe writing is even meant to be a part of your current profession.

But if you feel like you’re not being true to yourself in your current profession, then writing might be part of your true calling.

 

You can feel it inside of you.

Again, you might not recognize it, but one day, you’ll become acutely aware and look back and see that it was there all along. Your true purpose was hiding in plain sight the whole time.

Memories of writing.

Dreams of writing.

Attraction to writing.

Maybe you’ve always had a dream of writing for a living but never thought it was a practical enough profession.

Maybe you could never get enough learning about writers and their work.

Perhaps you have hoards of notebooks in your basement filled with musings or short stories.

Whatever it was, it was always there, if you peek back over your shoulder.

You always felt that inspired tingle inside of you when you thought about writing.

 

You keep coming back to it.

You might dabble in other professions, get distracted by shiny objects, but somehow, you always come back to writing. All other hobbies and hunches fall away, but you never do quite lose that itch to write.

If someone walked into your office and offered you a million dollars on the stipulation that you could never write again, would you do it?

If the idea of that just made your heart sink a little bit, then you know writing is your purpose.

You could never give that part of you up.

You lose all sense of time when you’re writing about a subject you’re personally vested in. Or you feel a deep sense of fulfillment when you complete a writing project.

Are you feeling me on this one?

If this is stirring something up inside of you, then your true purpose probably has something to do with writing.

 

But, if writing is your true purpose, are you living it?

 

How to know if you’re living your true purpose every day:

The reality is, even if you know writing is in your blood, you may not be doing anything about it. You probably dream about it, think about it a lot, try to “make a place for it” in your life, figure you’ll give it a shot just as soon as you get X and X and other BS in place.

If that’s true, then no, you aren’t living your true purpose.

And this goes for any true purpose, whether it’s writing or something completely unrelated.

 

If you’re not spending the majority of your time on it, then you’re not being true to it.

If you’re not starting with it and building everything else up around it, then no you’re not being true to it.

 

Let me ask you this,

Do you write every day?

Is writing even make up a portion of your profession?

Actually, do you spend 80% of your “work” time writing?

 

If not, then you’re probably not living out your purpose.

 

Because it takes effort, you know.

This living your purpose thing.

 

No one comes along and places the perfect profession in your lap and pronounces you a verified and certified writer and gives you a stipend to match.

 

You have to go out there and get it.

You have to build your life up around it.

You’re the one responsible for living out your true purpose.

 

How to start living your purpose

So, now that you’re feeling a bit convicted, let me give you a little practical advice about living your purpose to make you feel better, more empowered.

 

Start carving out time to write. Whether you enjoy poetry or political editorials, make space in your life for it.

Then, expand the time you spend on it from there.

 

I know it’s not realistic to quit your job and your obligations to live your purpose right this second, so start by making space and enlarging the perimeter of that space as you go.

Start a blog.

Take up journaling. 

Pitch a few articles to big-name publications (use this guide to make it happen), and be able to say you’ve been published.

Choose a pen name if you’re embarrassed about your penchant for Harlequin romances.

 

But just freaking do it! m’kay?

 

If you plan to live this life with purpose, to live in the most full-bodied way, then you can’t wait any longer for writing to somehow wiggle its way into your life.

You have to make it happen.

 

If you’re committed to living this life with everything you have,

Then get behind your dreams

Stand with them like you would stand up for something you believe in.

It should be something you believe in, with everything inside of you!

Because, after all, the life you were designed for is the one worth living.

 

Much love,

~Jess

 

***If you’re at the point where you’re ready to make the jump to freelance writing, check out our free getting started guide. Don’t just dream about it. Do it!