In The Power of Myth, Joseph Campbell says, "Follow your bliss." As Prince taught us, there's a huge payoff in following your bliss, not just for you, but because it makes contributions to the world.
"When I was 16, I was completely broke and needed to go get a job. So I got the Yellow Pages out, and I couldn't find one thing that I wanted to do," said Prince on Arsenio Hall. "So, I decided that I was going to push as hard as I could to be a musician and went at it."
Most people I talk with know they're not following their bliss. They want to, but they don't have any idea what their bliss would be. They don't know how to identify it, let alone follow it.
How do you find your bliss?
Do more things that make you bliss-full. When do you feel most truly alive? What are you doing? Who are you with? What skills are you using? Eckhart Tolle writes that your purpose in life is simply to be present. If you become masterful at being present, you open yourself to feeling and finding your bliss.
Once you have a sense that something gives you joy, do more of that. Honor that joyfulness. Feed it. Find a way to fund it. I'm always amazed at the variety of ways people make money. Will you have to make sacrifices? Yes. Will you need to work hard? Absolutely. Might you fail? Right on. But what happens if you don't?
In Sinclair Lewis' 1992 novel, Babbitt, the main character says, "I've never done a thing I wanted to in all my life." Babbitt is living a life of mediocracy to fit into conventional norms. It's hard to be a rockstar, in any sense of the word, if you're living life for everyone else. What do you want to see more of in the world? It's time for you to create it.
What do you want to take a chance on? Spark conversation and support by declaring it in the comments section below.
In other news
Saturday we unveiled the Courage Mural in Alexandria, VA. This community collaboration celebrates the spirit of the Courage Wall launched last May. Check out the video of the event. We hope it inspires you to Live Big!
Read more about the mural here, and a big thank you to Kevin Castillo for capturing Saturday's event so beautifully!