Should or Must?

Are you doing what you should? Or what you must?

The words might seem similar, but believe me, there’s an enormous difference between the two.

Should is what the world wants you to do. It’s other people’s expectations and requirements. It’s ignoring your natural-born talents and instead slogging away at a job you hate because it pays you well. It’s hiding your beautiful art because others don’t understand it. It’s doing the time rather than enjoying the time.

Must is different. Must is what you were born to do, the very reason you’re here. It’s getting up early before work every day to write your novel. It’s setting aside a space in your garage to paint. It’s using your vacation to take service trips to other parts of the world. It’s creating a budget best described as “austere” so that you can afford to travel. It’s working at a job that simply pays the bills because the schedule allows you freedom to pursue the activities you love. It’s moving to Hawaii if that’s what you want.

Between you and me, it’s the only way to live. 

Can you tell I’m wildly inspired by a book I’ve read? It’s called The Crossroads of Should And Must: Find And Follow Your Passion.  Every word is something I truly believe. We’re born with unique gifts that most people deny in some way. The only way we’ll be truly happy is to immerse ourselves in what we love to do every day. And it’s downright terrifying to make the leap to must. For most people, it is a leap because they are currently bogged down in should and it’s hard to get out. It’s also hard to be satisfied with anything less than what we truly want to do once we’ve had a taste of it.

Are you living your must? Or is it too hard to see over the shoulds? What’s one little step you can take to move closer to what you really want to do? I’m not talking about quitting your job, more like taking 15 minutes today to sit with your thoughts and allow yourself to be inspired by what you love. That’s all, just 15 minutes.

Now would be a good time . . .