Hey Douglas,

I know how it is to come out of formal education so scarred that it’s hard to take joy in anything any more. The good news is, having it all figured out, becoming some famous musician (or writer, or whatnot) and living happily ever after is a total illusion.

Eckhart Tolle has an interesting idea that we have two purposes in life. One is the outer purpose, what you do, and that changes depending on you circumstance. The other is your inner purpose, which is the same for all of us. The inner purpose is to awaken – to find joy in being right here right now, shutting up your mind and not worrying about the past or the future. That’s it. Just be quiet, present, and find happiness.

Thich Naht Han also has some really good books on being okay where you are. Just breathe, look for the good in this moment (for example, you probably aren’t being trampled by wildebeast as you read this… that’s an up side, right?), and let go of needing to know. No one really knows.

Once you’re okay, make exploring your purpose for a while. Seek what brings you peace and happiness. And know that, while you can pretty much always find peace and happiness in the moment, there is something out there for you. Deepak Chopra has an interesting theory that we all have this unique way of serving the world, and we just need to focus on how what we love and are good at can be used to help others.

You are awesome at something the world needs. You just don’t know it yet. But one thing I’ve learned – it is *never* some career catalog skill. You are way too unique to just be good at music. And even once you find it… it won’t guide your life. Being a good person and being happy is an entirely separate pursuit from finding a skill to dedicate yourself to learning.

If you meditate… or if you just want to try it… it helps me sometimes to ask the universe for guidance, and then just sit down, be quiet, and wait for a few hours. Sometimes we are too busy looking for answers to hear what the universe is saying. So just ask, stop looking, and be quiet for a bit. Your heart does know the way (as they say), but it doesn’t speak in words. So practice listening in it’s language.

You’ll find it Douglas. An on the up side, you are way ahead of a lot of people who think they have it all figured out, who won’t realize they aren’t doing what brings them meaning for another 30 years. You are looking. You are exactly where you need to be. I promise. 🙂