Unlock Your True Calling: Where Passion, Purpose, Mission and Job Align

"There is no greater gift you can give or receive than to honor your calling. It’s why you were born. And how you become most truly alive." — Oprah Winfrey

Remember being a kid?

You didn't sit around pondering the grand meaning of finger painting versus playing in the mud.

You just grabbed the damn paint and smeared it all over the paper (and probably yourself). You dug holes, chased squirrels, asked a million ridiculous questions, and maybe even pretended the sidewalk cracks were lava.

Nobody handed you a purpose statement back then. You were driven by pure, unadulterated curiosity. If something sparked your interest, you went for it.

And the beautiful, brutally honest truth was, if you hated building that lopsided tower of blocks, you just knocked it down. No guilt trip. No existential crisis. You either dug it, or you didn't.

And if you spent an entire afternoon fascinated by ants marching in a line, you just did that. There wasn't some internal debate about whether ant observation was a "productive" use of your childhood.

No worrying about what the other kids thought. No analyzing how ant knowledge would impact your future college applications.

There was no bullshit.

If something grabbed you, you just did it.

The Real Problem Isn’t Purpose—It’s Paralysis

Scroll through social media for five minutes, and you'll see it everywhere—people obsessing over purpose like it's some secret formula they missed in school.

Posts pleading for clarity, viral threads debating "the meaning of life," endless reels telling you to "just follow your passion" like it’s that simple.

The digital world has turned purpose into a scavenger hunt, convincing everyone that there’s a perfect answer—if only they could find the right book, the right guru, the right life hack.

Spoiler alert: There is no damn instruction manual. If you're wandering around lost in the existential wilderness, what makes you think an influencer, a trending TED Talk, or some dude writing words on the internet has the map?

I’m a guide, maybe. But not a fortune teller.

And here’s the truth people don’t want to hear—maybe not knowing isn’t the problem. Maybe it's the starting point.

Life isn’t some perfectly paved highway with clear signage pointing to your passion. It’s more like stumbling through the woods, figuring it out as you go.

And guess what?

That’s the whole damn point.

Yet every platform is filled with the same cry: “I just need to find my purpose.”

Bullshit. You’re already doing something with your time. You're awake for hours every day—what the hell are you filling those hours with? You're talking about something.

You're clicking on something online. There’s some topic, some activity, some thing that hijacks a chunk of your attention without you even trying.

It's right there, staring you in the face. But you’re probably telling yourself it "doesn't count." "Oh yeah, I love messing around with old cars, but that’s just a hobby."   "Sure, I could spend hours helping that animal shelter, but that’s not a career."

Have you even tried to see where that "doesn't count" thing could lead?

The real problem isn’t some mystical lack of purpose. It’s the paralysis of overthinking. It’s the self-imposed limitations. It’s the "yeah, but that's not realistic" voice in your head. It’s the fear of what your parents will say, or whether it'll buy you that shiny new thing everyone else seems to have.

The problem isn’t a missing purpose. It’s the priorities you’ve let other people or societal expectations dictate.

And that's where this whole idea of rugged purpose comes in.

Finding where Passion, Purpose, Mission and Job align isn’t about some ethereal calling; it’s about building a life that feels right—even when it’s hard, even when it’s messy.

And a powerful framework to start shaping that life? Ikigai.

Ikigai: Passion, Purpose, Mission and Job

Ikigai, that fancy Japanese word for "reason for being," boils down to a pretty simple intersection:

• Passion: What actually lights your fire. Not what you think should light your fire.

• Mission: What the messed-up world actually needs. Not some Instagram-perfect ideal.

• Skill: What you're genuinely good at. Not what your resume says you're good at.

• Job: What someone will actually pay you for. Because, you know, survival.

Picture those four things overlapping. That sweet spot in the middle?

That's your Ikigai.

For some poor souls, it might be teaching screaming kids (passion for education, mission to prevent total societal collapse, skill as an educator, job through a paycheck).

For others, it's diving headfirst into the chaotic world of entrepreneurship (passion for building something, mission to solve a real pain point, skill in leading the charge, job through actual profits).

But here's the kicker, the part the self-help gurus often conveniently forget: without a damn moral compass, even your Ikigai can steer you straight into a ditch.

Passion can turn into dark obsession.

Mission can morph into martyrdom. Profession can inflate your ego until you're insufferable. And job?

Well, greed is a hell of a drug. I've seen people chase their "perfect" Ikigai right into burnout or some seriously shady ethical corners because they skipped a crucial step.

Principle: The Unbreakable Backbone of Your Purpose

This is where Principle stomps in. Think of it as your non-negotiable code of conduct. Honesty, actually making a difference, sticking to your damn values even when it's inconvenient.

It's the rugged fence around your Ikigai, making sure you don't wander off chasing shiny distractions or selling your soul for a quick buck.

Without Principle, that precious purpose you think you've found?

It'll crack under pressure. It'll leave you feeling hollow even when you "succeed." But when your Ikigai is bolted down by your unwavering Principles, you start building a life that's not just meaningful, but sustainable.

A life you can actually look in the mirror and respect.

How This "Principle" Thing Actually Works with Your Passion, Purpose, Mission and Job:

• Principle & Passion: It's the filter for what you think you love. Love making a quick buck? If it involves screwing people over, your principle of honesty should kick in and say, "Nope, not doing that." Maybe channel that drive into something that actually helps people.

  
  

• Principle & Mission: It guides the impact you're trying to make. Want to fix a broken system? Principle makes sure you do it with integrity, not by taking the easy, potentially harmful shortcuts.

  
  

• Principle & Profession: It steers how you use your damn skills. You're a killer marketer? Principle guides you to promote ethical products and services, not some scam that'll leave people worse off.

  
  

• Principle & Vocation: It shapes where you get your damn paycheck. That high-paying gig at a soul-crushing, toxic company might tempt you, but your principle of impact pushes you towards work that actually feels right, even if it's a bit harder.

Principle is the difference between a purpose that crumbles when life gets real and one that stands like a goddamn mountain.

My Own Screw-Up: From Empty "Wins" to a Purpose I Can Actually Live With

I wasn't born with some enlightened purpose etched on my forehead. As a CEO, I played the game, climbed the ladder, got the corner office, the whole damn thing.

But inside?

I was a walking disaster. Chasing deals, neglecting my family, betraying my own damn value of connection just to get ahead. I was "successful," sure, but I was also utterly lost.

Ikigai offered a glimpse of a different way. I actually enjoyed coaching people (passion), saw a real need for folks to build some damn confidence (mission), had a knack for leading and guiding (skill), and could earn a living doing it (job).

But even then, without clearly defined Principles, there were times when some things just felt wrong. It wasn't until I hammered out my own non-negotiables—honesty, impact, and grit—that things finally clicked.

That's what led to Rugged Human, a way to help people break free from their own bullshit and build lives aligned with what truly matters, not just the bottom line.

What felt like a dead-end career became the start of a damn trail I'm actually proud to be on. And you can blaze your own too.

The Expanded Ikigai Framework: Your Three Steps to Start

Finding your purpose isn't some spa day. It's more like hacking your way through a tangled mess. This expanded Ikigai, anchored by your Principles, is your damn machete. Here's how to start swinging:

1. Define Your Principles – "What Are the Lines You Absolutely Won't Cross?" These are your non-negotiables, the values that define who you are when the shit hits the fan. Not some fluffy ideals you read in a fortune cookie—these are what you stand for when the world tries to knock you down. (Seriously, think about what pisses you off about the world. What makes you stand up and say "hell no"? What would you fight for? List 3-5 core values that resonate in your gut.)

   
   

2. Start Mapping Your Ikigai – "Where Does Your 'Reason for Being' Start to Show Its Face?" (Grab a piece of paper. No fancy diagrams needed. Just jot down some initial thoughts for each area: What do you actually enjoy doing, even if it feels a little weird? What are some real problems you see in the world? What are you genuinely good at, even if you take it for granted? What are some ways people might actually pay you for those skills? Don't overthink it, just brain dump.)

   
   

3. Take One Small Action – "What's One Tiny, Unintimidating Step You Can Take Today?" Purpose isn't some grand destination you magically arrive at. It's built with small, consistent actions. (Think of one tiny thing you could do today that even slightly nudges you towards one of your values or one of those Ikigai areas. Maybe it's a quick Google search, sending a single email, or just spending five minutes actually thinking about one of those questions.)

   
   

Why Having Principles Makes Your Purpose Actually Bulletproof

Without those Principles, your Ikigai is like a house built on sand. It might look good for a while, but when the storms come, it'll crumble. Here's what happens when you skip the damn foundation:

• Greed Takes Over (Surprise!): That "passion" for success or that "vocation" for money can quickly lead you down some shadowy paths that leave you feeling empty or just plain ashamed.

  
  

• Burnout Becomes Your New Hobby: That "mission" to help everyone can drain you dry if you don't have boundaries rooted in your own well-being.

  
  

• Hollowness Lingers Like a Bad Smell: That "profession" that feeds your ego or that "vocation" that doesn't align with what you actually believe in will always feel like a lie, no matter the paycheck.

  
  

But when your purpose is anchored in your non-negotiable Principles? Everything changes:

• Sustainability That Actually Lasts: Principled choices build trust—with yourself, your loved ones, your colleagues—ensuring your purpose can actually withstand the inevitable shitstorms of life.

  
  

• Meaning That Goes Deeper Than Your Bank Account: When your Ikigai aligns with what you truly value, every step feels right, like you're finally walking in your own shoes.

  
  

• Impact That Actually Matters: A purpose rooted in Principle creates a ripple effect. I've seen it coaching people to break free from their own self-imposed prisons—they're not just living better lives; they're lifting up the people around them.

  
  

Your Next Step: Start Building a Purpose That's Actually Rugged

Purpose isn't some prize you win at the end of a race. It's the trail you carve through the wilderness of your life, one gritty step at a time.

This expanded Ikigai—passion, mission, profession, vocation, all anchored by your unbreakable Principles—is your map.

You don't need to blow up your life today. Just start where you are: identify one damn principle, jot down one thought about your Ikigai, take one ridiculously small step.

I went from chasing empty wins to actually helping people find their own fire, building The Rugged Human Method with integrity, not just for the profits.

My purpose isn't just what I do—it's how I do it, in a way that feels like a fire that actually lasts.

Yours can be too.

Ready to take that first step?

I've put together a 5-Day Intensive Masterclass all about getting clear on these foundations. It's not some funny kitten videos or flowcharts; it's a practical, real starting point for changing yourself at the fundamental level.

Click the link below to get your hands on it and start building a life that actually holds up.

Learn More Here

What's one value you refuse to compromise in living your purpose? Drop it below—let's get this fire started.

To your rugged journey,

Jerod