Summary

“Find the place where your deep gladness meets the place where the world is in deep hunger.”

Gregg Levoy is the author of best selling books, Vital Signs and Callings. He is a former “behavioral specialist” at USA Today, and a regular blogger for Psychology Today. He is a lecturer and seminar-leader in the business, educational, governmental, faith-based and human-potential arenas, inspiring people to create a life that is not simply a knock off.

We start off the conversation talking about our fascination with vampires & zombies and how that relates to the culture we exist-one that is anxious about having the life sucked out of us. The fascination may also exist out of the desire to want more excitement and variety in our lives, an opportunity to experience another reality that exists beyond our current and perhaps dull or boring existence.

In this discussion Greg shares what it means to follow your passion versus taking action based on security. We talk about how to begin to take action, how to connect with passions and how to discover your calling in life. The way the world is changing and what the future holds can be speculated but what we conclude is that there is a clear yearning for us to connect deep with life, one that holds greater meaning. No longer does just getting a paycheck or secure job hold as much relevance, the new way is contribution, significance and peace.

I hope you enjoy listening to this show and please leave your comments, thoughts, and questions below. Until next time, peace, passion & purpose…

Key Take Outs

“A calling is a sense of urgency within you, something that wants to be expressed.”

• Start Small: You don’t have to have a best selling book tomorrow or become the next Tony Robins or Richard Branson over night, they didn’t. Simply just start small, see how it feels and grow it from there.
• Take Action. Just do it: Without action comes no signals, opportunities, learnings or rewards. Start by taking action and you will regain feeling, you will create connection with your inner voice and callings, and certainly go on a journey to discover your life’s deeper purpose.
• The unknown! Variety & diversity: Shake it up! If you feel stuck in life or not quite content you need to shake it up, make some kind of change; remove yourself from your current environment and experiment with different activities. Create variety and diversity in life. This is a great way to regain energy, connect with passion, and really reignite life with more purpose.
• Passion vs. security: Often we follow life in need of security rather than in need of passion. Security often takes precedence. Often we become so occupied by all those demands of life both urgent and important yet we forget to spend time on ourselves. You are important; finding passion in life is important- try bringing back some balance.
• Authentic life: A life that honours your gifts and a sense of what you want to contribute in life. Find the place where your deep gladness meets the place where the world is in deep hunger.
• We all have callings: We all have a calling in life and most likely many callings that will evolve and change over time. Don’t fret, finding a calling exists for us all and its not as hard as finding a needle in a haystack, it takes awareness and opening yourself to opportunities in life.
• How to find your calling: Turn on the receiver- allow yourself to be open to various opportunities. Create silence and listen to what the world is telling you, what are the signs, what are the feelings you have? Connection- strike up a dialogue with your deep self, what is it that you want to connect with more in life and express.
• Sacrifice and compromise: What are you willing to sacrifice or compromise in order to live the life you truly desire. I believe that there is an abundance of everything in this world and you can have all the greatness you desire. However often on the journey to your ideal destination you may need to make some sacrifices. In example you may choose freedom over money or visa versa.

What advice would you give to your 20-year-old self?

Make room for other peoples opinions. Don’t fight against others along the way in order to satisfy your ego.

Gregg’s interpretation of success

Success is being authentic.

Quick round questions

Favourite Food

Chocolate

Favourite Leisure Activitiy

Traveling

Favourite book(s)

Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes, Revised 25th Anniversary Edition by William Bridges

Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow by Marsha Sinetar

Vital Signs: Discovering and Sustaining Your Passion for Life by Gregg Levoy

Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life by Gregg Levoy

Quote

“Friend, Good!” Frankenstein

What does living life with passion and purpose mean?

Having reason to get up in the morning.

How to find Greg and other links

Visit Gregg’s website here.