Your Piece of the Puzzle

A friend recently emailed me, expressing some self doubt he is having about some big changes he wants to make in how he lives and supports himself and his family. Here was my response:

Let's say everyone in the world is born holding a puzzle piece. At some point in our lives, we've got to bring our puzzle piece to the table. It may have some curves that are similar to another's puzzle piece, or a common color scheme. It probably fits into a spot surrounded by at least 4 more pieces that have similar designs... but if you don't bring your piece to the table, no one will ever get to see the complete picture.

So screw whether someone thinks your puzzle piece is the right color, or if they can't see it clearly and don't think it fits, or whatever. Your job isn't to please their sensibilities, your sole job is to bring your piece to the table.

You may set it down in the wrong place at first, or upside down, but that's ok. You'll realize your mistake soon enough and try something else, until you find exactly the place your piece goes. You've got to bring it to the table to start the process though; it's a huge puzzle and sitting back observing until you think you know exactly how to plug your piece in isn't going to work.

In short: you have every business doing what you feel called to do. What you don't have any business doing is, not doing what you feel called to do. That interest and calling is how we know what our puzzle piece is.