I often hear from people who have no idea what their unique calling might be. There are a lot of reasons that we might not know what it is. Sometimes, we have an inkling but we let fear get in the way. I tell my clients to find their calling first and then they can deal with the next steps—fears and blocks. If you’re just trying to find your calling is, here are 6 questions you can ask yourself.

What do I love to do?

What do you really like doing? Maybe it’s an aspect of your current work or something you do for fun. What makes time seem to stand still while you’re doing it? This is probably a clue pointing towards your calling. Your calling may involve doing more of what you love or something closely related to what you currently love.

What have I always wanted to do?

Often there’s something we’ve always wanted to do. We don’t do it though for a number of reasons. It might be that our circumstances didn’t give us the time or we didn’t think we could make a living doing it.

I’ve found it’s often helpful for my clients to revisit these past loves. What is the thing you keep wishing you could do? It may lead you towards your unique calling. Maybe you gave up on doing it because you were afraid or felt it wasn’t practical. Or maybe your calling is somehow related to it.

What are my gifts and strengths?

What are you really good at? I ask my clients to make a list of their strengths. I have them write down everything they’re good at. And then I have them ask 5 people close to them what they’re good at. You know why? Because I’ve found that we often underestimate ourselves. We tend to see ourselves as mediocre or not very good at something that the people around us see as a genuine gift. We’ve been given these gifts for a reason. They serve a purpose and that purpose is answering our unique calling. Embrace your gifts and be aware of them. Your calling will require them.

Who do I want to be?

This can be a tough question. Take a minute and think about it. Another way to think about it is to ask yourself how would someone that knows you, describe you to someone who doesn’t? How does that feel? If it doesn’t feel so good, maybe you want to get clear on who you want to be. How would you like to be described? What traits would you need to develop? What might you be doing differently? This can be a powerful exercise for moving you towards your calling.

What do I desperately want to change about the world?

This is a big question but we all have something that doesn’t sit right with us. What are you noticing around you that just really bothers you? Sometimes it can be a large cause like child hunger or poverty. It doesn’t have to be though. Maybe it’s as simple as wanting people to be kinder or noticing how rude people are to service employees. Whatever it is that you’re noticing, it’s a call for your attention.

I’ve discovered that our calling is designed for us to have an impact on the world. It leads us to develop in a way that we leave the world just a little bit better and we inspire others to do the same. That thing that you’re noticing that just gets under your skin is very likely one of the ways that you’ll have your impact on the world. How can you start to show up differently in a way that will nudge it in a better direction?

Who do I want to help?

Our unique calling is about service. Service can mean a lot of different things and it can take a lot of different forms. When you think about service, who do you feel called to help? The answer can provide important clues to your calling.

Asking yourself these 6 questions will give you a great starting place for discovering your unique calling. Next is the process of connecting the dots. How can you change the world through doing what you’ve always wanted to do? How do your talents help you become who you want to be? Once you put these pieces together, your calling will begin to come into focus.

Need help pieces the answers together? My answer your unique calling signature coaching program can help. Schedule a clarity call and let’s see if it’s a fit for you.