Discovering Your Purpose

The Purpose and The Pivot is a podcast for women navigating transitions in career, leadership, faith, and personal growth. It’s for those moments when you’re re-evaluating what’s next and choosing to realign with purpose—intentionally and confidently.

Through honest conversations, meaningful stories, and practical insight, we’ll explore how to embrace change, lead through transition, and move forward with clarity after the pivot.

McLain Career & Life Coaching dba McLain Enterprises, LLC

https://www.mclainenterprisesllc.com

https://calendly.com/mclainenterprises/30min 

Produced & Edited by: Tyrone K. Sullivan (Media Director)
linkedin.com/in/tyroneksullivan 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to the Purpose and the Pivot, the podcast for women who know it's time for more. With your host, C. Renee McLean, career and life coach and champion for women navigating change with confidence and clarity. Each week we'll have real conversations about career moves, life transitions, mindset shifts, and the power of redefining your purpose at every stage of life. Whether you're pivoting professionally, personally, or both, this is your space for guidance, growth, and grounded support. Let's dive in.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Welcome to The Purpose and the Pivot. Today's episode is Discovering Your Purpose. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Let's get into this. So today we are talking about a question that many people carry quietly for years. What is my purpose? Maybe you've achieved goals you once worked hard for, but something, something feels a little incomplete. Maybe you feel a pull towards something more meaningful.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

But you're not quite sure what that looks like yet.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

Hmm. And sometimes the question isn't just about work or career. Sometimes it's deeper than that. It's about contribution, impact, alignment. Yeah. So I work with a lot of clients who have been outplaced, laid off, downsized, whatever they're calling it at whatever position uh or company. Um, different companies call it different things, but I work with clients that have been outplaced. We call it outplacement services. And so some of them are talking about doing something different, right? And they want to do something more meaningful, something more meaningful, not just the same old corporate stuff, right?

SPEAKER_01 2:38

Purpose is one of those words that can feel both inspiring, yeah, but also intimidating at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 2:51

Some people imagine purpose as one big dramatic calling, something you're supposed to discover in a single moment of clarity. But for most of us, purpose doesn't appear like that. Purpose is usually revealed over time, it develops through experience, reflection, and the willingness to pay attention to what consistently matters to you and moves you. Mm-hmm. Yeah. So let's start by clarifying what purpose actually is. Purpose is not just what you do, it's why you do it. Yeah. It's the intersection of your values, your strengths, your experiences, and the impact you feel drawn to make. Purpose. It shows up in how you lead, how you serve, how you contribute to the people and communities around you. And importantly, purpose is not just limited to one role or one job. Your purpose can express itself in many different ways throughout your life. The way you lived your purpose 10 years ago may look totally different from how you live it today. And that's completely normal. Yeah. Purpose evolves as you grow. Now, if you are in a season where your purpose feels unclear, the first thing I want to say to you is this that uncertainty is not a problem to fix. It's often an invitation to reflect. Yeah. Sometimes we lose connection with purpose because we've been moving too quickly to listen. Life gets busy, responsibilities pile up, expectations, both internal and external, begin to shape our decisions. And before we know it, we are operating on autopilot. Yeah. But discovering your purpose requires something many of us rarely allow ourselves. And that is stillness. Yeah. Stillness. It creates space to ask meaningful questions. Questions like what kind of work gives me energy instead of draining me? What kinds of problems do I feel compelled to solve? What conversations excite me? What impact do I care deeply about making? These questions matter because purpose often leaves clues. Yeah. You'll notice that certain themes repeat throughout your life. Maybe people consistently come to you for guidance or encouragement. That's what was happening to me. Yeah. Maybe you're naturally drawn to creating solutions, building systems, or helping others grow. Yes. Maybe you feel most alive when you're teaching, mentoring, leading, or advocating. These patterns aren't random, they're signals. Yeah. I found myself consistently giving guidance or encouragement to people. Yeah, I had to figure out what is this? What is this? Uh what was I doing? I was coaching people. Before coaching was so popular, I was already doing it. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Helping others grow. That's part of my coaching. Yeah. Yeah. These patterns, as I said, they're not random. They're signals. And purpose, get this, also shows up in the intersection of your strengths and your experiences. Uh-huh. Yeah. Your strengths represent the abilities you bring naturally or have developed over time. Your experiences, both the positive ones and the challenging ones, shape the perspective you carry. Uh-huh. Yeah. I do a lot of career coaching. A lot of my clients have been uh outplaced, right? From layoffs. I've been laid off. I know what that feels like. I know what that process can be like, that journey. So can I speak to them from experience? Absolutely. Absolutely. Been there, done that. Yes. Yes. And I often tell them you're not speaking to someone who cannot relate. And people like to know that. I've been there. They want to know that you've been there where they are right now. Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's interesting because often the things you've navigated in your own life equip you to help others navigate similar paths. That's exactly what I'm doing now. Yeah, yeah. And in that way, purpose is not just about what you're good at, it's also about what you understand deeply. I understand what they're going through. I most certainly do. Yeah. Sometimes the very challenges that stretched you become the experiences that position you to serve others. Yes. And that is how I look at my coaching. And I usually tell them, I will be serving as your career coach. I will be serving as your coach because it is a service, right? Yeah. And you know, I'm going to tell you something else. Discovering purpose, it also requires honesty. Because sometimes we know what inspires us, but fear convinces us to ignore it. Yeah. Fear might say it's too late, it's too risky. What if I fail? What if pe what will people think? These questions, they may be natural, but they don't have to control your decisions, right? Purpose doesn't always demand a dramatic life change overnight. It often begins with smaller steps. Yeah, small steps. Exploring a new idea, perhaps, learning a new skill, having a conversation with someone, yeah. And then saying yes to something that aligns with your curiosity. Purpose grows through engagement. The more you explore what resonates with you, the clearer your direction becomes. Yeah. Another important piece of discovering your purpose is alignment. Purpose feels different from obligation. Obligation drains your energy over time. Yeah. Purpose energizes you even when the work is challenging. Okay. I love what I do. Some people uh, you know, it's easier to work with some people than it is others, but that's okay. Even those challenging clients, my purpose energizes me to work with them, to cut through whatever it is that they're dealing with in order to get them to where they need to be, right? Yeah. When your actions align with your deeper values, you experience a sense of meaning that goes beyond external rewards. And that doesn't mean every day will feel easy or inspiring. But there is a difference between temporary fatigue and deep fulfillment. One leaves you depleted, the other leaves you motivated to continue. Yeah. Uh-huh. If you're searching for your purpose right now, I want to offer three simple steps to help you begin that journey. Yes. First, pay attention to what consistently inspires you. What topics do you naturally gravitate toward? What kinds of conversations engage your curiosity? Inspiration is often the first indicator of purpose. Yeah. Yeah. Second, reflect on the strengths and experiences you bring. What skills have you developed? What challenges have you overcome? How might those insights help others? We talked about serving, right? And third, look for opportunities to contribute. Yeah. Purpose becomes clearer when you begin using your gifts in ways that benefit others. Sometimes clarity doesn't come from thinking more, but from doing more. Yeah, yeah. Taking small intentional steps allows your purpose to reveal itself through action. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Before we close today, I want to leave you with one final thought. You don't have to have your entire life mapped out to begin living with purpose. Now, I know there may be some people whose life is planned for them. Parents were lawyers, and so they want them to be lawyers. Parents were doctors and so they want them to be doctors. But a lot of times that is not how it works. That is not how it works. So you don't have to have your life plan all mapped out to begin living with purpose. Purpose is a destination you reach generally over time. Over time. Yeah. And it's direction.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

It's a guiding sense of what matters most and how you want to achieve it.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

Yeah. And that direction becomes clearer each time you choose alignment over expectation. Curiosity over fear. And authenticity over comparison. I'm going to say that again. Direction becomes clearer each time you choose alignment over expectation. Curiosity over fear. And authenticity over comparison.

SPEAKER_01 15:28

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

So today I want you to consider this question. Think about this and personalize it. What inspires me enough that I'm willing to explore it further?

SPEAKER_01 15:52

What inspires me enough to get that I am willing to explore it further?

SPEAKER_02 16:03

Your answer doesn't need to be perfect. It just needs to be honest. Be honest with yourself. Because purpose doesn't require certainty. It requires willingness. Yeah. And sometimes the most powerful step toward discovering your purpose is simply giving yourself permission to begin to explore.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:47

Where is your exploration taking you? Yeah. Well, guys, that's our show for today. Until next time, be encouraged, enlightened, and empowered. I am C-Rene McLean. Thank you for joining us today.

SPEAKER_00 17:09

Thank you for tuning in to the Purpose and the Pivot. If today's episode encouraged or inspired you, be sure to follow the show and share it with another woman who's navigating her own transition. For coaching support or to connect with C Renee McLean directly, visit McLean Career and Life Coaching or schedule a consultation using the link in the show notes. Remember, your purpose evolves and you have permission to pivot. Until next time.