Humans were created to be creative, productive stewards over the earth. According to the Bible, work is a purposeful, good gift from God created before the fall of humanity. In the beginning, God worked to create all that exists today. He placed Adam to “cultivate” and “keep” the Garden of Eden. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We honor God and others through our work. Work is a gift designed for creating, cultivating, problem-solving and caring for others. What ever we do – whether as a business owner or employee – our purpose is singular: serve the person receiving our goods or services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of my most favorite quotes is: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why<\/em>.” Mark Twain<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Select few are blessed early on with a gift of knowing what they were created to do. It could be a young person training to be a doctor because she knows she wants to treat cancer. Another could be a young entrepreneur providing clean drinking water to people in developing countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some refer to it as why, calling, purpose<\/em>, or Life’s Task<\/em>, a term coined by Robert Greene. Here, we define it as a Blue Flame<\/strong> – the unique thing you\u2019re naturally driven to do that gives you energy, purpose, and impact when you pursue it.<\/strong> Studies show that almost 80 percent of people experience purpose anxiety, a depressing struggle to define their life’s purpose.1<\/a><\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue Flame or \u201cLife\u2019s Task<\/em>\u201d is what makes you feel your life is meaningful. It represents your unique purpose in this world. In order to begin to uncover your Blue Flame means reconnecting with deep childhood interests and natural inclinations. It involves applying your unique skills to find your niche, which in turn brings deep joy and direction in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your Blue Flame gives you a sense of purpose. For some, it can be found in their careers. For others \u2013 especially women \u2013 calling can be found in raising children. What ever your calling is, it uses your skills and talents while aligning with your values. The truest way to discover your calling is to start with your childhood and adolescence. You will begin to connect to who you were as a child. Returning to those strong powerful emotions you experienced during adolescence will be key to revealing your calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Action: Take a journal and write down all your dreams and aspirations. Once you start writing, memories will surface. Ask yourself, \u201cWhat made me so different? What was I attracted to?\u201d The key to self discovery is to become an archeologist of your own past. A detective searching for clues.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Robert Greene talks about finding your calling in his book Mastery<\/em>. His key ideas include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Discover Your Life\u2019s Task<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Everyone has a unique calling i.e., Life’s Task. Your Life’s Task is something deeply personal, often tied to childhood interests or natural inclinations. To find it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
- Reflect on what fascinated you as a child.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Identify activities that put you in a state of flow.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Recognize what naturally holds your attention over time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Ask yourself: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
- What is the work you can\u2019t not do?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What impact do you want to have and leave? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What matters the most to you?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What inspires you to do inspiring work daily?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Why are you doing the work you are doing?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What are your strengths?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What are you good at and passionate about?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Follow Your Own Path (Not Society\u2019s Expectations)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robert warns against conforming to societal pressures or chasing money\/status at the cost of your true interests. Many people ignore their calling because they fear stepping outside the norm for the fear of being ridiculed. Many never discover their calling because they chase external influences such as recognition, notoriety, money, prestige, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The Apprenticeship and Experimentation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mastery requires an intense learning period where you humble yourself and develop skills. During this phase:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
- Work under mentors and absorb their knowledge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Learn through observation, practice, and failure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Build resilience by pushing through challenges.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes, your calling isn\u2019t obvious. Robert suggests experimenting with different paths while paying attention to what excites and motivates you. Many masters, like Darwin or Leonardo da Vinci, explored multiple interests before finding their niche. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have been made to believe that specialization in a single field will lead to the greatest results. However, through his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World<\/em>, David Epstein argues that a diverse range of experience and skills – generalism – is often a significant advantage, especially in complex, unpredictable fields. It allows an individual to connect broad knowledge from different domains to solve problems creatively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Combine Your Skills in a Unique Way<\/strong> and Trust the Process<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the discovery of your Life’s Task involves investing your time and energy into several unrelated domains, do it! Remember, that you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. The more well-rounded you may be, the more opportunities you have to succeed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
True mastery comes when you blend various skills and experiences into something uniquely yours. Robert calls this the \u201cCreative-Active\u201d phase, where you stop following and start innovating. He emphasizes that mastery takes time\u2014often 10+ years of dedication. Those who embrace the long game and persist through difficulties are the ones who succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThe only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking, don’t settle.\u201d Steve Jobs<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Disclaimer: Image was reproduced by ChatGPT 5.3.<\/p>\n\n\n
- America’s Purpose Crisis<\/em>, Phychology Today (Feb. 6, 2025)<\/a> \u21a9\ufe0e<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Humans were created to be creative, productive stewards over the earth. According to the Bible, work is a purposeful, good gift from God created before the fall of humanity. In the beginning, God worked to create all that exists today. He placed Adam to “cultivate” and “keep” the Garden of Eden. We honor God and others through our work. Work is a gift designed for creating, cultivating, problem-solving and caring for others. What ever we do – whether as a business owner or employee – our purpose is singular: serve the person receiving our goods or services. One of my most favorite quotes is: “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain Select few are blessed early on with a gift of knowing what they were created to do. It could be a young person training to be a doctor because she knows she wants to treat cancer. Another could be a young entrepreneur providing clean drinking water to people in developing countries. Some refer to it as why, calling, purpose, or Life’s Task, a term coined by Robert Greene. Here, we define it as a Blue Flame – the unique thing you\u2019re naturally driven to do that gives you energy, purpose, and impact when you pursue it. Studies show that almost 80 percent of people experience purpose anxiety, a depressing struggle to define their life’s purpose. Blue Flame or \u201cLife\u2019s Task\u201d is what makes you feel your life is meaningful. It represents your unique purpose in this world. In order to begin to uncover your Blue Flame means reconnecting with deep childhood interests and natural inclinations. It involves applying your unique skills to find your niche, which in turn brings deep joy and direction in your life. Your Blue Flame gives you a sense of purpose. For some, it can be found in their careers. For others \u2013 especially women \u2013 calling can be found in raising children. What ever your calling is, it uses your skills and talents while aligning with your values. The truest way to discover your calling is to start with your childhood and adolescence. You will begin to connect to who you were as a child. Returning to those strong powerful emotions you experienced during adolescence will be key to revealing your calling. Action: Take a journal and write down all your dreams and aspirations. Once you start writing, memories will surface. Ask yourself, \u201cWhat made me so different? What was I attracted to?\u201d The key to self discovery is to become an archeologist of your own past. A detective searching for clues. Robert Greene talks about finding your calling in his book Mastery. His key ideas include: 1. Discover Your Life\u2019s Task Everyone has a unique calling i.e., Life’s Task. Your Life’s Task is something deeply personal, often tied to childhood interests or natural inclinations. To find it: Ask yourself: 2. Follow Your Own Path (Not Society\u2019s Expectations) Robert warns against conforming to societal pressures or chasing money\/status at the cost of your true interests. Many people ignore their calling because they fear stepping outside the norm for the fear of being ridiculed. Many never discover their calling because they chase external influences such as recognition, notoriety, money, prestige, etc. 3. The Apprenticeship and Experimentation Mastery requires an intense learning period where you humble yourself and develop skills. During this phase: Sometimes, your calling isn\u2019t obvious. Robert suggests experimenting with different paths while paying attention to what excites and motivates you. Many masters, like Darwin or Leonardo da Vinci, explored multiple interests before finding their niche. We have been made to believe that specialization in a single field will lead to the greatest results. However, through his book Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, David Epstein argues that a diverse range of experience and skills – generalism – is often a significant advantage, especially in complex, unpredictable fields. It allows an individual to connect broad knowledge from different domains to solve problems creatively. 4. Combine Your Skills in a Unique Way and Trust the Process If the discovery of your Life’s Task involves investing your time and energy into several unrelated domains, do it! Remember, that you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. The more well-rounded you may be, the more opportunities you have to succeed. True mastery comes when you blend various skills and experiences into something uniquely yours. Robert calls this the \u201cCreative-Active\u201d phase, where you stop following and start innovating. He emphasizes that mastery takes time\u2014often 10+ years of dedication. Those who embrace the long game and persist through difficulties are the ones who succeed. \u201cThe only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking, and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking, don’t settle.\u201d Steve Jobs Disclaimer: Image was reproduced by ChatGPT 5.3.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":265,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"[{\"content\":\"America's Purpose Crisis<\/em>, Phychology Today (Feb. 6, 2025)<\/a>\",\"id\":\"c7d88ad2-7ae7-406d-bbbc-73b6718b3595\"}]"},"categories":[10],"tags":[28,26,29,25],"class_list":["post-213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-craft","tag-blue-flame","tag-calling","tag-personal-why","tag-purpose"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=213"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":266,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/213\/revisions\/266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=213"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=213"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/karlobazdan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=213"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}