The Art of Living Aligned With Your Purpose
A reflection on discovering your calling and living every day in alignment with it
I feel fortunate to have had a clear sense of what I want to do and what I’m meant to do. I understand that these two things don’t always line up for everyone, and I don’t take that lightly. For me, they’ve been remarkably synchronized.
Knowing what you want and finding purpose in it is one thing, but forging a path to see it come to life is another. Over the last year, I’ve learned that things truly flow when you’re in alignment with your purpose. That doesn’t mean life is without challenges, obstacles are inevitable, but there is a natural momentum that grows when you hit that sweet spot.
When resistance lingers and feels hard to shake, it’s usually a sign to pause, re-evaluate, and pivot.
I’ve met adults who don’t feel a sense of purpose or haven’t discovered what makes them excited to get out of bed. I tell them it’s an exploration. Life offers moments that reveal a deep desire connected to your purpose. Sadly, childhood often suppresses certain passions, especially artistic ones. Parents may push toward specific careers, or peers may bully you for pursuing something unconventional. Early detours happen, and later on, even when you have some idea of your calling, life can still pull you off course.
The latter was my story. I’ve always been an artist, and I’ve always felt that being an artist is inseparable from my purpose. Yet I struggled to reconcile it with the financial realities of adulthood. Every time I settled into a typical 9-to-5 lifestyle, I felt unfulfilled and out of place. Inevitably, it ended the same way:
“I am writing to inform you that I am resigning from [Insert position], effective [Insert Date]…”
This is not a statement against corporate work or any job. For some, it aligns perfectly with their purpose. I know from experience that it simply wasn’t for me. I reached the highest position in my department, became the youngest member of the leadership team, and still felt a void.
Even during seasons of misalignment, there were signs pointing me back to my purpose. One of my favorites comes from when I was four years old. It should be no surprise as a professional yapper, I started speaking early, and by pre-kindergarten graduation, I was fluent enough to serve as Master of Ceremonies. My mom still talks about how impressed the audience was with my poise. After the ceremony, my teacher gave my mom a card that ended with:
“I’m looking forward to hearing him on the radio or TV as a reporter.”
That insight at age four was uncanny. My natural draw to media, entertainment, and radio felt undeniable. Hosting and curating shows in the First-Class Music Suites is my modern-day fulfillment of that early vision. Projects like The AM Soul Takeoff confirm that alignment every weekday morning.
Winning every award I was nominated for at the 37th Annual Wammie Music Awards recently reinforced my connection to making music and living purposefully.
I am in a season where I feel clear and confident that the way I spend my days aligns with my life’s purpose. I am passionate about helping other artists and creatives uncover that alignment for themselves. That’s why I am launching the first Crossfade Creator Lab Cohort, working closely with seven artists to help them execute their ideas and bring their dreams to life, another slice of my purpose pie.
Finding your purpose isn’t a destination, it’s a practice. The more you lean into what feels right, the more your life unfolds with momentum, meaning, and impact.