Someone asked a few days ago why I started a business.

I’ll be honest. I initially started my career with the sole motivation of making money. I grew up in a low-income household. I hesitate to say “poor” because we always had the necessities. But that was all we had, and sometimes we weren’t sure if we were even going to have those covered. So, when I first started my career, my main objective was to never have to do without.

I was a late bloomer when it came to college. I tried pretty much every major that was available until I eventually dropped out for a while, then went back and settled on accounting. I figured it would be an easy profession to generate a decent income.

It was not.

It was not an easy profession for me initially. While I am a bit of a numbers nerd (I will scour the earth for that 3¢ discrepancy), I’m also a creative type. I LOVE writing and photography and art … all those right-brained things that don’t jive with the stereotypical accountant personality. And, more importantly, I love people! I love to help people! I love to share something with someone and see them have a ‘light bulb’ moment! Nothing brings me greater joy than to help someone see a way where they didn’t see one before … or understand something they’ve never understood before. Helping people clear a path to move forward lights me up on the inside!

For a long time, I struggled with the computerized, mathematical, people-less-ness (that’s a word … true story) of accounting. My career was one thing, and what I loved was something different. It’s like my life was divided into two parts – what I WANTED to do, and what I HAD to do. My work, and my real life. The life I wanted to live.

My circle of friends always included people who were laser-focused, passionately pursuing their calling … people who knew from day one why they were put on this earth and who spent every single day running after it.

I envied them! Why couldn’t I have been like that? Why couldn’t I have been one of those people with a purpose that burned within me and drove me to get out of bed every morning? The only thing that got me out of bed in the morning was a loud alarm clock and a hell of a lot of willpower!

I thought I had made a mistake. I thought that my career choice was wrong.

But what I started to realize a few years ago was that my career choice wasn’t wrong.

My mindset was.

I realized that my life and my career don’t have to look like everyone else’s. If I really want to help people, there doesn’t have to be some grand calling for me to do it. Helping others IS the grand calling, no matter what form it takes!

I have a career that I have spent years building. There are people who need support with what I know how to do well. I started looking at my work as a way to make a difference in the lives of others. I started finding ways to add value to the clients I serve and giving them the absolute best that I had to offer. I have always worked hard and tried to do a good job at everything I have done, but now I do it with an entirely different mindset … it’s not about me anymore.

And I work with some of the most incredible people! The clients I serve do amazing things – they help people heal … help people grow emotionally and spiritually … they help people realize their dreams and potential … they help them improve the quality of their lives in one form or another. I am literally helping people help people! And I LOVE it!

Sometimes, all it takes is a change in perspective to realize you already have what you’ve always wished for.

So, what’s your story? Are you one of those people who has known from the beginning what you wanted your life to look like? Or, are you more like me, figuring it out as you go? Our way is a little more adventurous! 😉