Finding One's Purpose in Life

The start is establishing your vision. What is your ideal world? Based on your interest in child development, what would a world look like for a child? Let me just guess as a way to get you started. In your world children all;

-1- Have food/water
-2- Safe, supportive environment
-3- Shelter
-4- Nutrition
-5- Access to education

Would this be an ideal world for the development of children or am I missing something? What a I missing?

Richard - thank you so much for your insightful reply. I studied North Korean children for years (my mom is from South Korea). When I was about 27 (I am not 43) I was considered an expert on the this specific population of children. Because I don't formally have my PhD, I don't have a vehicle through which I can disseminate what I know. I have studied the comprehensive development of North Korean children. They will be the future leaders of North Korea. They are stunted permanently physiologically, psychologically, and emotionally. How do we learn how to address the issues of children in circumstances that are not living in such severe circumstances? I can tell anyone what will happen to the children of the worst circumstances. I would publish what I have to say in People Magazine to raise public awareness. I have raised students awareness in the US and overseas. I wanted to be the person who could do the research, translate that research for the general public, and then be able to implement policy that would usher in children's comprehensive development as they deserve.

elithehoff wrote: Because I don't formally have my PhD, I don't have a vehicle through which I can disseminate what I know.

It sounds to me you have a very good idea of purpose. Where I think you are struggling in the false belief that you must have a PhD in order to disseminate what you know.

There is example after example after example of people without PhD's that are changing the world, sharing what they know in various ways. Steve Jobs did not have a PhD, Mark Zuckerberg does not have a PhD....AND the number one example which if you wanted you could model yourself after is Malcolm Gladwell.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Gladwell

It does take a lot of work. It is a very competitive environment. You are not the only one that has the desire to help children and just like Gladwell will face critics that hold PhD's.

I recommend starting a blog, start some social media accounts, set up your LinkedIn profile and start growing your presence as an expert in your field. Gain follows for your work.

Richard -

I actually started a blog and facebook page on Child Development called "Children Understood". I just haven't kept up with them. I have been too busy looking for a job. I also wanted to be a Child Development consultant, teach a parenting course, write children's books. The job search is an issue. I am not a social worker or psychologist, so I don't evaluate children like such professionals. If I do as you recommend, it will be a long time before I make any money! I am starting to think that I should seek a job at the local grocery store.

Can I share with you my vitae?

My mother is originally from South Korea. I have family there. There is a conference on Happiness and Children in South Korea in 2016. The abstract has to be submitted by the first of November. I am going to focus on North Korean children again. They are who I want to understand and for whom I want to be an advocate.

My father was a professor at Michigan State University. One of his former graduate students was prime minister in South Korea for about 2 months. Politics there is a different animal. I was successful networking with the right people who I met through my dad. However, after my dad died almost 4 years ago, these people disappeared.

I am published. I am on the executive board of the Council on Korean Studies at Michigan State University which my dad established with a dear colleague of his, Gill Chin Lim. Lim was a mentor of mine and he died over 10 years ago in a car accident. He organized a conference on North Korean children after he read my research on it.

It is a relief to honestly not have the doctorate because universities are more business than anything else now and I only know a few academics who I admire.

I can't tell you how grateful I am that you responded. I really needed to hear from you.

There is someone in the world that is passionate about helping preserve the habitat and ensure the survival of the "Angustopila dominikae" snail. The problem, how do you make a career out of such a narrow specialization? Few people even know the snail exists and even if they do know, it is not a matter that can be monetized very easily. Instead, if the person wants to help the snail, they must find a benefactor or benefactors.

I understand you want to focus on children in South Korea, but at the same time you need to make money. The more narrow your focus, for example if you decided only female children between the ages of 3-5 that live in Seoul, eventually you are just self-handicapping. It is not impossible, but getting paid to pursue a very narrow passion can be extremely difficult.

What I would recommend is expanding your focus to address all children in need for which you can provide help. It will be much, much, much easier to find a career that focused on all children and by default some of those children will also be those in South Korea. Eventually as your career grows you can shift more attention to the areas you like. It is better than bagging groceries.

For instance, you say you want to teach a parenting course. Well, you can go on Udemy.com and publish your own course. You could teach in multiple languages if you like. In this way you could make some money while helping children.

Now, if you are dead set on only focusing on South Korea, then what you may want to explore is applying for grant funding. Another option is to use the growing popularity of crowdfunding. In this way you can find your benefactors.

http://www.crowdfunding.com

Bottom line, you either expand your focus or you begin to focus on finding benefactors. It is just the way the world works.

Thank you so much for your replies. They empowered me to keep pursuing what I know my purpose is. My mom had a heart attack a couple weeks ago, so I am have to be with her but as soon as she is up and running again, I will be doing my thang!

elithehoff wrote:Thank you so much for your replies. They empowered me to keep pursuing what I know my purpose is. My mom had a heart attack a couple weeks ago, so I am have to be with her but as soon as she is up and running again, I will be doing my thang!

If you want something bad enough you will accomplish it. If not, you will find excuses. I read all the post you made. Richard had great advice. I actually started to become exited for your change... But then you finished with this. ....another excuse.
The real problem is your choosing to be lazy with lots of excuses.
There will always be someone sick or dying. My question is.. Why has this become your outlet for excuses.
McCain

Hello Elithehoff,

Thank you for having the courage to ask for help. It is a great example for those that feel they must always 'do it alone'.

The topic was listed as: Finding One's Purpose in Life, but it seems that you already know what you want to accomplish in your lifetime and what impact you want to have.

Now, the trick is to believe in yourself enough to take the required steps towards it. Which you are already doing, you have taken a lot of action and you have an obvious care for others that is rare.

However, this care may be at the sake of your own care for yourself. Your first duty is to yourself. When flying on a plane, the air hostess always tell you to put your own mask on first, before helping others. Why? You can't help anyone if your dead.

Continue on your path, have faith you can achieve what you want (helping children from around the world), and the path to accomplish this will light up in front of you. What do you need to do to accomplish this goal? If you require money, then how can you make money? You know, there are many ways to make money that don't include getting a job. Perhaps you can research this, like online affiliate marketing? (which is very easy and can earn you a lot of money for not doing much at all) I would highly recommend you take a look at The Six Figure Mentors, they can help you get started.

Other than that, you are doing great Don't be so hard on yourself, you have already found your calling in life. All there is to do now is to continue along the path that leads there and remove ALL other distractions from your life.

Whatever the mind can conceive, and believe, the mind can achieve. - Napoleon Hill