I spent most of my adolescence obsessed with becoming a priest. I even visited a local seminary (St. Charles Seminary), spoke to a few priests and signed up for an introductory program they offered anyone who thought they had a calling. And I thought I had a calling. But I was not certain I had a calling. I understand now that when you get a calling, there is no uncertainty. It’s crystal clear. You just know it.
Most, unfortunately, never find their calling. It’s an unfortunate byproduct of modern day life. How many grew up playing baseball, basketball, soccer, football, swimming, tennis, etc? Most likely, you spent your childhood focused on two or three activities. With such limited exposure to novel things, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to find their calling.
Finding your calling in life requires exposure to dozens of activities. You simply cannot learn what talents you possess if you are limited to two or three activities growing up. For those few who do find their calling, that means they have unearthed their latent inner talents. Talents are genetically unique to each individual. Every person possesses certain talents that are specific to their genetic makeup. It’s the job of parents, mentors and educators to help kids uncover those talents.
Regrettably, most live a lifetime ignorant of their talents. Our education system, for the most part, is to blame. We are all required to follow a specific curriculum, dictated by a system whose primary objective is to teach fundamentals that will enable each individual to get a job. Getting a job is in the best interest of society. By society, I mean government. It’s in government’s best interest to have as many employees as possible. This ensures a steady stream of tax revenue in the form of federal withholding taxes. Government does not want entrepreneurs, or, more specifically, it does not want those who pursue a dream. Dreams take too long to create income that can be taxed. I find this counterintuitive, since it is those very dreamers who change society and produce the most wealth for society. Microsoft, Apple, Google, Waste Management, GE and many other companies were started by dreamers.
Dreamers are special. They represent a small, fractional portion of society who experience a calling. Thanks to my research (Rich Habits Study), I was fortunate to have been able to interview 177 such dreamers. These 177 self-made millionaires all shared one thing in common – they were doing something for a living that they loved. They were all pursuing their calling in life.
When you find your calling, it changes your life and it changes everyone Else’s life. It triggers the discovery of an inner genius possessed by virtually every human being from the moment of birth. Pursuing a dream as your calling unleashes something I like to call The God Gene. This God Gene endows every human being with god-like creativity and insight. Those who pursue their calling in life trigger this God Gene. As a result, they go from ordinary to extraordinary. Pursuing a dream also enables you to tap into a hitherto dormant passion that transforms even the most lethargic into the hardest, most persistent worker. It increases your IQ exponentially, allowing you to see opportunities and overcome seemingly intractable obstacles. It allows you, for the first time, to see your future clearly. It really is magic. But it’s more like witnessing a miracle in real time. When you find your calling in life, it is the closest human beings get to actually talking with God. And when God calls, pick up the phone.
About Thomas C. Corley
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