From Confusion to Clarity: My Path to Purpose

Read time: 5 minutes

For as long as I can remember, I've always felt that I was meant to achieve something greater.

I always knew that if I were to put my mind to something, I would ultimately get the desired outcome.

But, what I didn't know was the "how".

And that became a huge problem in my life, especially when I first got to college.

I really didn't know what I wanted to study, let alone what I wanted to do with my life.

Looking back, I believe a part of me thought that the thing I desired would simply just "come".

As naive as that may sound, it's true.

I genuinely believed that it would somehow magically land in my lap.

And I couldn't have been more wrong.

However, what I was right about was the fact that putting my mind to something is the best decision one can make.

Because throughout my entire college experience — I didn't put my mind to one thing.

I was always switching.

Changing my focus.

Trying new things.

And don't get me wrong — that is exactly what one needs to do during their college years.

Explore, make mistakes, learn from them, & continually iterate.

But, knowing that I've always wanted to make an impact in this world — starting early & getting on that journey was top of mind for me from a young age.

And that's all because of my parents.

My mother has always made a point to share with us that nothing comes easy.

"Nothing in this world is free" she would constantly remind us.

"You want something, you make it happen"— That's what my father would say similarly.

These values have been engrained in me for years & years.

They've become a part of me.

And I wouldn't want it any other way.

I tried for years to find my life's work.

I really did "try".

But not enough...

I either would give up too soon... or would get bored.

And at times, laziness would kick in.

Or comfort perhaps is a better way to "label" it.

I was definitely too comfortable.

I wasn't hungry enough either.

And once I graduated college, I saw how scary that was.

For a long period of time — I was struggling.

I was at a crossroads.

I was very unsure of what to do.

I had nothing to work on.

I had nothing to look forward to.

I had nothing to get me out of bed in the mornings.

It was a recipe for disaster.

But one day, those words from my parents re-surfaced.

• “Choose not to wait for luck.”

• "Whatever you put your mind to is possible."

• "There are 1400 solutions to everything in life."

It was as if all these words of wisdom not only came back to me after all these years but finally started to make sense.

I saw them in a way that I hadn't before.

Change was about to be created.

My new behaviour would then follow from there.

And what began as spending 10-15 minutes a day following my curiosities eventually grew to 8-10 hours a day, causing me to pause my social life and spend all my time alone.

Now, please do not take this as something you should do too.

I am not here to tell you what you should or shouldn't do.

I'm simply sharing my story. Offering you a possibility.

Please read this about you.

And read it through your own lens & situation.

However, the point I am making here is that my life did make a full 180.

But not overnight.

Like I said, I started slowly by changing one thing.

That was making me be more intentional.

More conscious of my internet consumption for example.

I began noticing what my dopamine levels gravitated toward naturally and which topics captured my interest.

This worked because I was already consuming content.

We all are.

The difference was that I became more attentive to the type of content I genuinely enjoyed.

From there, I continuously and consciously followed that path to see where it would take me.

Initially, this turned out to be any and all things related to music.

At this point as well — I decided to combine this path of interest with something that was inherently uncomfortable for me.

I knew that if I wanted to get the most out of the experience... discomfort needed to be sought out.

In my own situation — discomfort here meant posting on social media.

• Building in public

• Sharing my learnings

• Documenting my journey

For those who knew me before my digital footprint exponentially increased, I used to hate dislike posting!

Anything and everything.

My life. My travels. My experiences.

I wanted to keep it private.

But, I knew this was what I needed to do.

The moment I took the leap and posted my first tweet, I instantly knew things would change.

That’s the true beauty of seeking discomfort, my friends.

You do it for what awaits you afterwards.

It's scary yet beautiful at the same time.

And look at my journey almost 8 months later...

Because of this, my tweets & "niche" — which started being about music — slowly switched towards social skills & communication.

This second phase of my journey lasted for much longer. Almost double the time.

5-6 months.

I was very invested in it.

It was the point where I began to see real opportunities to help and serve others.

Especially in our current society, which is overwhelmed by screens, anxiety, & mental health challenges.

People needed help in the social sphere more than ever.

And that I did.

This was my first real & formal experience with coaching.

I coached over 20 people regularly on social dynamics & relationship psychology.

It fascinated me.

I learned so much about myself.

And way more about others too.

It was all very new to me.

Very uncertain.

But nothing in life isn't.

Slow but gradual changes started to take place in my being.

In how I was showing up in the world.

Because for once in my life, I was honouring the commitments I made to myself.

I persisted.

I was patient.

And although I'd like to say it was always sunny & rainbows, I'd be lying.

It really wasn't.

There were many moments of doubt.

Of a lack of self-belief.

"Can I even do this?"

But, I persevered.

My first mentor once told me — 

And these were words that kept me going.

Ultimately leading me to the place I am today.

That is, doing my life's work.

I've always wanted to work with people.

To make a difference.

Spread positivity, hope, & optimism.

To serve.

And I can proudly say that I am doing that.

It's the most fulfilling work I've ever done.

But it wouldn't have happened if I had let those moments get the best of me.

If I would've quit on myself.

If I would've stopped believing in myself.

Especially the weekend before I signed my first-ever paying client.

I was on the verge.

Truly.

But you know what they say...

Since then, I haven't looked back.

It's built up my entire foundation.

More importantly, it's reminded me of why & how I started.

And it was all by working on myself.

Putting in the reps.

Showing up daily.

And keeping the promises I was making to myself.

Even in my lowest moments.

Because remember, my friends, when there is enough self-belief, anything is possible.

That's it for me on this one.

Thanks for reading!

Much love,

Julian

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