Ego Or Soul? A Guide To Following Your Callings

“When a calling is ready for me, how do I know if I am ready for it?”

That question was asked of me recently from an Artist whose journey of self-expression is beginning to unfold. Here’s what I shared with her, which may support your process too.

Typically when I ask the question of “Am I ready?” it’s driven by fear, intuitive pause or not being clear on the motivation. When assessing any call, I first explore the motivation, unearthing its WHY to make sure it’s worthy of pursuing.

I do this by asking the question of: WHY do I feel drawn here? And then… Why? Why? Why? Why?

For example: Let’s say I want to write a book. Why? Because writing is what I am here to do. Why? It lights me up and when I do it, I’m connected to source and rooted in service. Why? Because there is so much power in packaging ideas in a format that can be easily digested and shared. Why? Because when ideas are packaged well, they can shift lives and move the world forward.

Taking note of what comes up, it will typically fall into one of two categories: Soul-driven calls and Ego-driven calls.

Soul-driven calls, like the example above, look something like this: “This excites and invigorates the shit out of me and the very act of doing this lights up every ounce of my being. In fact, I can’t believe I get to create this! The outcome doesn’t really matter because the process in and of itself is worthy of falling in love with. Again and again and again.”

Ego-driven calls are different. They are rooted in a reliance on external praise and success, and typically show up as wanting MORE. More money. More recognition. More attention. More more more with no end in sight. Now, don’t get me wrong. There is a time and place for the ego. It helps set boundaries, evaluate opportunities and make decisions. It’s just best not to let it drive the whole ship.

The danger with the ego is that it makes you very vulnerable to failure since life is a series of natural ups and downs. You win, you lose, you learn, you grow. Calls from the soul enjoy the whole damn roller coaster ride.

Whenever I feel that sense of ‘MORE’ show up, I take pause to see where the inner lack is stemming from. I ask myself, “What are you needing and wanting right now?” And then I create the space to meet those needs.

In the times where the very essence of the call DOES enrapture me and come from that deep place inside, I take the call seriously, even if I don’t feel quite ready yet. (And usually I don’t feel quite ready yet. Especially in the beginning.)

When fear arises, this is what I remind myself:

Fear is a signal that I am heading in the right direction. It’s here to remind me that I’m at the edge of my comfort zone, and this is where the magic happens. Put one “this feels right and terrifying” foot in front of the next. Keep moving with what moves you, allowing what’s next to flow through.

And when it doesn’t flow or feel quite right, this is about the time I close my eyes, put my hand on my belly and ask, “How shall I proceed?” My inner compass has yet to steer me astray.