T.D. Jakes’ book Connect to Your Calling is one of those reads that makes you stop in your tracks and think, “Wait a minute… am I really tapping into my true potential, or am I just going through the motions?” If you’ve ever felt stuck or were on autopilot, then this is a book I recommend reading. It pulls you into a conversation with yourself (reminds me of meditation, only it’s easier to concentrate).
The inspiration for this book was an African Safari adventure he completed prior to publishing it. His safari experience is the source for numerous analogies and points worth reflecting on. I highlighted a few and decided to use them as the basis for my book notes. Hopefully, this isn’t a spoiler for you.
- Look Within
- Don’t Fear Abundance
- Take Action
- Learn to Juggle
- Trust and Build
When faced with uncertainty or a challenge, where is the first place you look for answers? Most of us seek an external source. It could be a person, book, or website (nowadays, A.I.). It’s interesting that we rarely look within.
This was one of the early discussion points in the book and a point I have to constantly remind myself of it. The solutions to most problems can be answered internally if we can quiet the negative noise. Even if it’s not the entire solution, we have enough to take the first step.
How many times have you pondered the same over and over, running, asking other people what they think you should do when, deep down, you know what you need to do? Why dismiss your inner wisdom?
Fear and self-doubt. Together, they lead to frustration and block your inner wisdom. The way to get unstuck, according to T.D. Jakes is to give yourself permission to believe you have what it takes to survive and thrive. And built this into a daily practice to shatter those mental barriers.
I pray about this every morning before my feet hit the floor. I remind myself that I already have what it takes with God’s strength and blessing.
Feel free to be a copycat. Say it out loud if you have to. Write it on a sticky note. Make it part of your routine. Once you start acknowledging the power you carry inside, it’s easier to operate within your calling.
“It’s Time to Stop Daydreaming”
Daydreaming can be entertaining and can even generate new ideas. We all have dreams, but as the book calls out, dreams without action are just fantasies. It takes more than a big idea; you must connect them to actual steps. I’ve seen many dreams fall by the wayside, mine included, because they weren’t acted upon. T.D. Jakes said, “You must connect ideas to ideals and excitement to action.”
If you’ve been sitting on a business idea, project, or personal goal, now’s the time to get up and do something about it. Close the gap between your ideas and your actions. You don’t need to know every single step along the way—just start moving. Let me help you get started.
Write Down One Goal and Break It Into Actionable Steps
Pick one thing you want to do. Just one. It can be anything, like reading more often, taking a trip, or starting a new hobby. Now, break it down. What’s one small thing you can do first? The order doesn’t matter. Research what book genre might interest you, places you want to visit, or sights you want to see. Whatever it is, keep it simple and build momentum. Refrain from striving for perfection or having all the pieces in place. Don’t let the fear of imperfection hold you back.
What a powerful truism! Most of us are averse to taking on more responsibilities or commitments outside of what we believe is necessary. People only like to pile food onto their plates if it is food they think they’ll enjoy eating.
The very meaning of abundance is having more than you need or want. Scripture implies we were meant to live in abundance. By that, I mean living a life that is enriched and fulfilled. It also means, according to T.D. Jakes that —your abundance isn’t just for you. It’s supposed to flow into the lives of the people around you.
This abundant mentality is more spiritually focused, encouraging you to live life in a way that uplifts others. Whether sharing your time, wisdom, and resources or simply being a positive presence in someone else’s life. T.D. Jakes reminds us in his book that when we thrive, others benefit.
Are you ready to Give From Your Overflow?
Take a look at your life. Where are you overflowing? It could be time, knowledge, skills, or just good vibes. Share that with someone today. It could be mentoring someone just starting in your field or volunteering a few hours at a local charity. When we give from our abundance, we help others and make more room for blessings to flow back into our lives.
Stop Trying to Hold Everything So Tightly, Learn to Juggle Without Dropping the Ball.
News flash– you don’t have to choose between your passions. Before reading this book, I struggled to choose because I kept listening to the noise of doing one thing and being good at that. I was constantly in a battle with “either-or.”
How often do you find yourself in that frame of mind where you think you must give up one dream to pursue another?
Listen, if you remember only one thing from this post, let this be it: You don’t have to subtract from your life to add something to your life. Life can and should be as diverse as your interests. You can add to what you already have without taking away from your accomplishments.
However, you do have to loosen your grip a little for that to happen.
How?
Stop holding on so tightly to one thing that you forget you can juggle. Life isn’t about trading one dream for another. It’s about managing more than you think you can handle—and doing it gracefully. That’s not to say it’s easy (juggling rarely is), but the book aims to push you out of that limiting mindset that you can’t or don’t know how to juggle.
Try the “And” Approach to help you learn to juggle better.
I’m challenging you to think in terms of “and” instead of “either-or.” Want to focus on your career and have a personal life? Go for it. Want to pursue a new hobby and crush it at work? It’s possible. The goal is to embrace the idea that you can do both—you just need to learn how to juggle your time and energy without burning out. It might mean saying no to certain things, but it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice what matters most to you. There’s no right or wrong here; just try it and keep at it.
Trust Your Instincts and Build Meaningful Alliances
We’ve all heard the phrase “trust your gut, or follow your intuition.” Translated, it means follow your instincts and apply your intellect. Following your instincts is one of the most empowering things you can do. It leads you to what the book refers to as “new doorways and new windows of opportunity.”
As you move forward in your calling, you will need help from people around you who complement your strengths and bring new perspectives to the table. T.D. Jakes discusses in his book how completion happens when you build alliances with people who complete you rather than compete with you.
Think about that for a second. What can you gain by surrounding yourself solely with people on the same path as you?
You need diverse people whose vision intersects with yours in meaningful ways. You need a power circle. To build such a circle, take stock of the people around you.
- Who are you aligning yourself with?
- Are they helping you grow, or are they in competition with you?
Grow your circle by reaching out to someone you feel could be a valuable part of your journey—someone who offers something different but complements your vision. Continue to build these alliances and watch how much further you can go together.
Final Thoughts
Connect to Your Calling inspired me to consider embracing my many passions and see how they might be combined. I always wanted to do more than one thing. This book confirmed that I could have multiple callings and avenues for fulfillment. It reminded me that what worked in the past may not work in the future, and it’s ok to evolve. Simply keep moving forward, trusting that I already have everything that’s needed inside of me. And so do you.
Take a breath. Trust yourself. And get to work.
