Do you carry subconscious ideals of what a purpose-driven life should look like—perhaps living in poverty like Mother Teresa?
These hidden expectations trigger fears that pursuing your higher purpose means sacrificing too much. The most paralyzing fears are those buried deep in our subconscious, making us believe something must be wrong with us when we aren’t moving toward what truly inspires us.
Imagine instead recognizing that you do have choice in how you express your purpose. It’s transformative to realize you can make specific commitments that support purposeful living rather than suffering in service to an abstract ideal.
A client I’ll call Lisa came to me feeling burned out in her high-tech career. She wanted to pursue more meaningful work but felt stuck and overwhelmed.
When we explored the hidden fears keeping her frozen, we discovered:
- “I won’t make enough money to support myself and my family.”
- “I’ll become arrogant and lose touch with my humility.”
- “My relationships with my children will suffer.”
- “I won’t have enough time for myself, and I’ll get overwhelmed again.”
- “I will fail.”
Do any of these sound familiar?
After exploring the worst possible outcomes in each scenario, I helped Lisa create personal agreements to prevent these fears from becoming reality:
- “I regain my current income within 2 years of any new career, with regular checkpoint assessments to adjust course if needed.”
- “I seek objective feedback from trustworthy mentors and colleagues that includes both positive and constructive elements.”
- “My travel schedule includes at least two weeks at home every month.”
- “I pace myself with every new challenge and take at least one day off weekly.”
- “I clearly articulate my current expertise and seek training for what I need to learn.”
Once she committed to these agreements, Lisa could feel her whole being relax and shift into gear again.
Fears serve as messages from our subconscious. It’s important not to simply dismiss them without understanding their underlying wisdom—they often contain critical practical advice that can prevent foolish decisions.
If Lisa had merely tried to “feel the fear and do it anyway,” she might have made poor career choices leading to exhaustion and repeated burnout.
What pearls of wisdom and practical advice lie within your own fears of taking the next step toward a purposeful career?