If you’re anything like me, I’m guessing you grew you up with this familiar maxim:

As long as you set your mind to it, you can be whatever you want to be.

Now what if I were to tell you that this idea was flawed, and might actually lead you down the wrong path?

Still with me?

That’s exactly the idea that we explore in this week’s episode of the Awesome Office Show, which is all about helping you discover your life’s authentic purpose. And it's pretty important stuff, for it’s a sense of purpose that gives us a lasting sense of fulfillment.

As Sean uncovers, the key is to listen to the feedback that life gives us in order to discover our strengths and take the path that’s right for each of us. It’s not just about discovering your strengths and your passions, but pointing them towards something even greater - your authentic life’s purpose.

Sean recently gave a version of this presentation to a group of young investors in Mexico City, and thought it would be relevant to our Awesome Audience. Here are the main points. 

Key Takeaways

• Sean starts by asking you to consider that one of the fundamental axioms of childhood - that you can be anything that you want to be as long as you set your mind to it - actually starts with the wrong premise and leads us astray. 2:50
• Sean breaks down why trying to find out who we want to be often prevents us from discovering where we’re supposed to be - and why listening is the key to it all. 3:15
• Sean explains that while conventional wisdom teaches us that we’re all blank slates, this belief tends to ignore our unique strengths and abilities. 5:00
• Sean explains what he means when he says that we need to “understand what crayons we have and where the lines are.” 6:13
• Sean extolls the value of listening, and why it’s so important to listen to the right things.  7:30
• Sean describes his own process of discovery, and the path that led him to find his life’s purpose. 8:05
• Sean pinpoints the turning point in his own story, and describes how listening played a major part in transitioning from becoming a doctor to an entrepreneur. 12:11
• Sean explains why understanding our lives as energy is essential to finding one’s true passion. 17:35
• Sean provides a more useful definition of a “weakness,” and breaks down what distinguishes weaknesses from strengths. 19:32
• Sean explains why authenticity is the foundation to this entire discovery process, and why it can be the key to finding your true purpose. 20:42
• Sean tells us the purpose of life in his view, and how your unique purpose fits into the equation. 23:31
• Sean shares an exercise to help you find your unique abilities. 24:10
• Sean tells us why action does not come from inspiration, but rather the other way around. 28:29
• Finally, Sean breaks down why purpose can give you the greatest state of fulfillment. 30:05