How to Ignore Your Calling

If you want a simple recipe to stay unhappy and build regret: ignore the clues life keeps giving you.

Tell yourself: “Later.” “After this role.” “After the raise.” “Once things stabilize.” And then bury that tiny voice that says you should explore something else that feels right.

I was still a kid the first time I felt it. Late in elementary school, I taught my younger brother math. I showed him how to approach problems. I remember the feeling of being in the know, guiding, and making it work for someone else. I felt... useful. Strong. Aligned.

My brother? Well, he hated it. Resented me for years. But funny enough, he's pretty great at math now.

The irony isn’t lost on me.

Years later, the Air Force saw something in me before I had the words for it. They pulled me out of the usual track and placed me in a small desert town, where I taught cadets. Close to 40 hours a week.

That good feeling returned… until it didn’t. Burnout hit. Exhaustion took over purpose. And I made a vow: Never again.

I pivoted. Tech. Business and leadership. I led Enablement and Client Teams, and I was good at most of it.

And yes, there were perks. And sparks. When I trained, mentored, or solved messy problems, I felt it. But I told myself it was enough.

I thought: “Maybe the next role will feel right.” “Maybe when I lead a bigger team…?”

Time passed. Titles changed. And the voice? It never stopped whispering.

I started mentoring founders. One session became five, then more. One “wow, you helped me a lot, thank you so much” remark started to multiply.

And suddenly, that whisper turned into something louder. A knowing. A coming home. I realized that I'm adding value when people are in transition, looking for a new path in life, searching for direction, or need to become a better leader and make the right decisions.

Momentum builds slowly. I still took on other roles. Still kept one foot in the “tech world,” just in case, ...but the tide had turned quietly. Coaching, mentoring, and teaching created a current, and so my hesitation became smaller every day. I made sure I act on my calling daily, and confidence was taking place instead. Trusting oneself is always the hardest part of this journey.

Whether your calling is a fantasy. Whether you missed it. Whether it’s too late.

Let me offer this: It probably showed up already, likely disguised as a moment, a compliment, a pull. You just didn’t call it by its name yet.

What moment first gave you a clue?

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