You can't steer a parked car
More Thoughts on Purpose (05)
HI FRIENDS
First of all, welcome to the new Substack newsletter! We’ve moved away from Mailchimp and onto this platform for lots of practical reasons, but primarily because it is great for conversation. You can leave comments at the bottom of each newsletter, we can run polls, and start whole discussion groups. In future we will also be able to add audio versions of the newsletter so you can listen along to my gorgeous voice instead of reading if that’s your thing.
THOUGHTS
Having so many choices in life is a blessing, but it can also be a burden. We can experience what’s called “analysis paralysis”. With so many options, we get stuck trying to make the perfect decision. For me, I get this feeling of fear that I will regret if I make a hasty choice, and I just want to postpone making any decisions until I have all of the information...about everything…ever.
This approach can be so tiring. It can even stop our progress altogether. And it looks to me like it will only get more difficult as our world is becoming more complex and frenetic everyday.
Before university, I was struggling with this in a big way. I was stuck waiting for some divine intervention that would tell me what I was supposed to do with my life. That’s when my mentor told me something that got me unstuck:
You can’t steer a parked car
—Mark Pavey
He was saying, “How will you know what you are good at until you try it? You’ve got to get out there and try new experiences and see what brings you alive. And then, bit by bit, you will know if it’s your calling.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear. He was inviting me into an imperfect process of discovery, where nothing is wasted because everything is research.
Now that’s where it’s at. That’s the good stuff.
What about you? Is there some work or learning opportunity or experience just waiting for you to try out? Maybe it’s time to stop waiting for permission, and go for it.
Godspeed,
T Mo.
p.s. This approach was exemplified beautifully in this clip from Rich Roll which was shared last week.
NEWS & LINKS
Robert Greene on finding your life’s task.
On a topic that can often feel a bit wishy washy, Robert brings his trademark directness and practicality. This is a nice summary of his approach outlined in his epic book Mastery.
FEEDBACK
It has been great to see our subscribers steadily climbing, but we want to keep spreading the word. Do you know someone who is thinking about their direction in life who you can help share this newsletter with?
It was great to hear from Hayley who said she enjoyed listening to the Suneel Gupta podcast in our first newsletter. Have you been enjoying any of the links shared? Why not leave a comment?