What’s Your Mission?

Have you ever stumbled upon something old, like a jacket tucked in the back of your closet, a forgotten notebook, or a song you haven’t heard in years, and felt that rush of recognition, as if you’d just reconnected with a part of yourself that you didn’t realize you were missing?

That same feeling can happen not with an object, but with an idea. An idea that’s been quietly following you for years. One that seems to show up at unexpected moments, nudging you, whispering to you, sometimes shouting at you until you can’t help but pay attention. That might be your mission calling you.

Imagine a child holding a solid rubber ball. They throw it down, and it bounces high into the air. It comes down, bounces again—not quite as high—but still full of energy. Over time, the bounces become smaller and closer together, until the ball comes to rest in their hand.

Your mission works in much the same way. Early in life, it might appear sporadically, something you notice only every few years. A curiosity you can’t quite explain. A theme you keep returning to without realizing it. But as you grow, that “bounce” starts to quicken. The idea keeps resurfacing more frequently, in more places, and more conversations. And eventually, like that ball, it stops bouncing in the distance and comes to rest squarely in your hands. You can’t put it down, because it’s yours to carry.

How My Mission Found Me

For years, I climbed the corporate ladder, achieving success, security, and a seemingly clear career path. But there was this one thing that kept coming back: I felt empty inside and didn’t feel like something was missing.

This thought kept bouncing back to me. Eventually, I realized it was my mission to discover what was missing. It was the reason I had to step away from what was safe and step into the unknown. Now, my work is about igniting that same clarity in others through conversations, experiences, and stories that reconnect leaders to their light.

Your mission doesn’t arrive fully formed. It reveals itself in patterns. To see it more clearly, try this:

1. Look Back. What ideas, causes, or activities have kept reappearing in your life? Which moments made you feel fully alive? These are your “flashpoints,” the pivotal moments that point toward your deeper purpose.

2. Look In. When do you feel most lit up? What work leaves you feeling more energized at the end than at the beginning? This is your brilliance showing itself.

3. Look Forward. If you could design your life around one central idea or contribution, what would it be? Not the safe answer, but the one that makes your heart race a little.

From Idea to Illumination

One of my favorite tools for this is something I call the Illuminated Cube. It’s a physical object you design with symbols, words, and images that represent the light you want to share with the world. When you see it on your desk or shelf, it serves as a daily reminder of the mission that keeps calling you forward. Because here’s the truth: your mission isn’t something you invent. It’s something you uncover, distill, and step into, until it shines so brightly it can’t be ignored.

Your mission is meant to be lived out loud, not hidden away. Think of it like a campfire, its warmth and light aren’t just for you, they’re for the people gathered around you. What’s the idea, project, or cause that keeps knocking on your door? What’s the work that makes you feel most like yourself? What’s the story you’ll one day want to tell about the difference you made? My mission is to help you find yours and to walk beside you as you bring it to life. Not just so you can succeed, but so you can create a life, a legacy, and a light that only you can give. Because once you start living your mission, it’s not just your life that changes. It’s everyone who gathers around your fire.