You were not brought here to sit in the audience.
You were brought here to take the stage.
The curtain has already risen.
The question is:
Will you play your part?
It has been said:
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
— William Shakespeare
What a remarkable observation.
From the moment you let out your first cry as a newborn child until your final breath, you have been placed upon the stage of life.
The curtain has risen.
The lights are on.
The audience is waiting.
And whether you realize it or not…
It is showtime.
STARRING…YOU.
There will never be another you.
Not before.
Not now.
Not ever again.
Of the billions of people who have walked this earth, none have carried your exact combination of gifts, experiences, talents, insights, victories, failures, hopes, dreams, and possibilities.
You were issued a role that only you can play.
That alone should cause you to pause and wonder.
THE WORLD WILL TEST YOU.
It wasn’t always easy for me.
Like many of you, I have experienced criticism.
Doubt.
Failure.
Discouragement.
Rejection.
Life has a way of testing your confidence.
The world often attempts to convince you that you are less than you are.
It attacks your self-worth.
Questions your value.
Challenges your purpose.
Sometimes people who have lost sight of their own purpose will unknowingly discourage yours.
Do not let that happen.
DON’T BE DISCOURAGED.
One of the greatest discoveries I have made is that discouragement is often a sign that you are getting close to something meaningful.
The obstacles arrive because the journey matters.
The resistance appears because the destination has value.
Every worthwhile thing I have ever pursued required persistence.
Every book.
Every friendship.
Every business venture.
Every dream.
Every lesson.
Every pearl.
The challenge was never whether obstacles would appear.
The challenge was whether I would continue anyway.
THE PURPOSE OF LIFE.
Many people spend their lives chasing possessions.
More money.
More status.
More recognition.
More things.
Yet after speaking with thousands of people from every walk of life, I continue arriving at the same conclusion:
The purpose of life is not to accumulate things.
The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose.
Possessions are temporary.
Purpose endures.
The house stays.
The car stays.
The title stays.
The bank account stays.
Character travels with you.
WHAT TO EXPECT.
As you travel through life, expect resistance.
Expect confusion.
Expect doubt.
Expect moments when your confidence is tested.
Expect voices telling you to stay small.
Expect invitations to settle.
Expect opportunities to quit.
All of these things are part of the journey.
The mistake is believing they are the destination.
They are not.
They are merely road signs.
GOD AT WORK.
I have always believed there is something greater operating within us.
Call it conscience.
Call it spirit.
Call it purpose.
Call it the Breath of God.
Whatever name you choose, there exists within every human being a force constantly calling them toward growth, truth, and meaning.
It whispers.
It nudges.
It invites.
It never forces.
But it is always present.
The world may try to convince you otherwise.
The spirit within you knows better.
THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE.
The closer we move toward truth, the freer we become.
Truth about ourselves.
Truth about our strengths.
Truth about our weaknesses.
Truth about our purpose.
Truth about our Creator.
Many people spend their lives searching everywhere except within.
Yet some of the greatest treasures are already buried inside them.
As I have written many times:
“Everything you need to know is already within you. Let’s flush some of it out.”
EACH OF US HAS A PORTION.
This is one of life’s great mysteries.
Each of us has been given a portion.
A calling.
A lane.
A purpose.
A set of gifts.
A measure of influence.
A field to work.
A song to sing.
A story to tell.
A contribution to make.
The tragedy is not failing.
The tragedy is never discovering what was set aside specifically for you.
SEEK THE GIFT GIVER.
Many people seek the gifts.
Success.
Money.
Talent.
Influence.
Recognition.
I understand that.
But I have discovered something greater.
The gift giver is always more valuable than the gift.
The Creator remains the treasure.
The source remains greater than the resource.
The One who gave the breath is greater than the breath itself.
WHAT THEN?
Seize your portion of life.
Not someone else’s.
Yours.
Do not compare your stage to another person’s stage.
Do not compare your journey to another person’s journey.
Do not compare your calling to another person’s calling.
Simply step into the role you were given.
Live fully.
Love deeply.
Learn continually.
Serve generously.
Seek truth relentlessly.
And when the curtain eventually falls, may it be said that you lived your portion completely.
That you showed up.
That you participated.
That you discovered why you were here.
That you seized your portion of life.
— Richie
Pearls for the Soul
when you feed the soul, you feed everything.
https://pearlsforthesoul.com
Been expecting you