“If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.” – Joseph Campbell

Certain lifestyles — digital nomadism, for example — have become increasingly trendy in recent years. And ultimately, aspiring to fit into that world is no different than trying to scramble up the corporate ladder… if doing that isn’t what truly ignites your inner fire. For some, becoming a digital nomad may be the magic portal to ultimate freedom and adventure. For others, adopting that lifestyle could mean a lifetime sentence of loneliness, restlessness, and rootlessness. Making change sustainable means making change authentic.

If we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of simply trading one expectation-laden persona for another, without doing the deep inquiry that is required to make sure that our new world order is true to us, then most likely… the change won’t be fulfilling and the change won’t stick.

Recently, I met someone who asked me point blank whether I was anti-corporate. The answer is No. I am not anti-corporate. Not at all. I am pro-human. It just so happens that I made the decision to leave my corporate job not so long ago… and the reason that I did that is because it didn’t fit me anymore, at that point in time. That doesn’t mean that I recommend that choice for everyone. And that doesn’t mean I won’t make the opposite decision at some point in life.

It is not about learning and copying your parents way of doing things, or my way of doing things, or anyone else’s way of doing things. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all, abundant, amazing life. That is going to look a little different for every one of us.

Sure, we can all learn from other people’s experiences. Connecting with people who have been through a variety of life changes and successes and disappointments is a great way for us to accelerate movement up our own personal learning curves. We can use lessons we take from others to sharpen our tools, then carve our own path through the unknown.

In our self-help junkie world, there are an incredible amount of resources available to help us to break out of old habits of thinking, to practice presence, to explore new possibilities, and to make empowered decisions. The toughest trick can be taking in all the advice, and insights, and perspectives from those guides and mentors that resonate with us the most. And then, taking the time to integrate and recombine these influences to form our own unique creation.

When you are on your true path, and you are serving your true calling, you will know. How will you know? The same way you know love. It will no longer be a question rattling around in your mind. It will become a sense of peace in your heart. You will be making clear-minded, open-hearted, aligned decisions that guide the course of your life every day, with ease — without overthinking or overanalyzing them, and without consulting with countless committee members and so-called experts to see if it is the right thing for you. Your decisions will feel like they are choiceless choices… You’ll feel as if you could not imagine your path any other way.