The Great Mystery of Life

Most people will die never having discovered their “gift”.

I’m not talking about a gift in the traditional sense. I mean your actual gift—your thing. Everyone has one; the challenge is finding what it is. It’s the great mystery of life.

Or, as David Viscott once wrote:

"The purpose of life is to discover your gift; the work of life is to develop it; and the meaning of life is to give your gift away."

These kinds of gifts are expressions of God’s grace. Unlike other gifts that are intended for us, these gifts are intended for sharing, for giving away.

But, you can’t give your gift away if you don’t first discover it. It’s the one thing that will give your life true purpose. Yes, the world can be divided into two groups: those who haven’t found their purpose and those who have.

Discovering it isn't optional—it's the whole point of being alive. Just imagine making it to some ripe, old age and finally realizing that your purpose was right there in front of you all along. How sad.

And, that’s why it’s so hard. For some who are truly blessed they might come to learn that they have multiple purposes in life.

So, how can you solve the greatest mystery of your life? Maybe David Viscott’s timeless quote has the answer. Let’s break it down and see if we can learn something together.

1. Discover the Gift (It's Hiding Where You Least Expect)

Your gift rarely announces it’s coming out. It won't likely be found at the bottom of a bottle of Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum. Or, at a $10,000 mind-altering ayahuasca ceremony on the beach in Anguilla. Hard pass for me, thanks.

Your gift is more likely buried under years of choices. Choices that are intended to take you further and further away. Yes, the three enemies of finding your gift are practicality, conventionality and rationality.

That's the cruel joke: gifts feel like breathing to those who possess them. You assume everyone can instantly inspire or cook or even do certain artistic things like paint or throw pottery with ease. They can’t. But it comes so easily that it’s hard to believe that it’s something truly special.

Many come into their later years, especially men, and assume that their gift is their vocation. It isn’t. I wrote about this in a piece called Can Money Make You Happier? (Hint: maybe)

A true gift has an essence. It has a heartbeat. That’s why most people will lose track of time, forget to eat or use the bathroom when using their gifts. Spending time in your gifted state makes you feel more alive.

Want to bypass years of therapy? Recall what captivated you at age nine. Nine-year-old “you” knew profound things about “you”. But, you blinked and found yourself with a mortgage, a diaper genie, and an Udder-Buddy for cream. I wrote about that in a piece called How Did I Get Here?

But, it’s not too late.

Morgan Freeman worked as a mechanic in the Air Force and didn’t get his first major acting role until age 52.

J.K. Rowling was a struggling single mother on welfare when she began writing the Harry Potter series on napkins in cafés.

Brian May of Queen fame was pursuing a PhD in astrophysics before his band took off.

The common thread? They all remained open to the possibilities.

2. Develop the Gift (The Unsexy Middle Where Dreams Go to Die)

The real work isn’t in finding your gift. It’s in the developing of it. This is where the spiritually curious become the seriously committed—or tap out entirely. Because we inhabit a culture that wants overnight success. And the brutal truth? Mastery demands decades.

Malcolm Gladwell popularized this theory in his 2008 book “Outliers: The Story of Success.” Gladwell introduced the 10,000-hour rule. That is, it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to achieve mastery in any complex skill or field.

He suggested that “extraordinary success is less about identifying innate talent and more importantly, putting in sufficient practice time.”

Yes, remarkable lives are forged through relentless practice and prioritization, not extraordinary talent.

3. Give it Away (This is Where Magic Happens)

The most valuable gifts are often shared with trembling hands. Your imperfect offering today is worth infinitely more than your perfect intention tomorrow.

The meaning of life isn’t in the developing of your gift. The meaning lies in the in the giving away. Sharing what you've mastered with the world.

It’s not about validation. It's about generating impact. It’s about leaving an indelible mark on the world for you having been in it.

The Gift Killers: Distraction, Comparison, and Comfort

Modern society is engineered to prevent you from discovering and delivering your gift. The algorithms want you perpetually distracted, mildly anxious, and endlessly comparing your behind-the-scenes to everyone else's highlight reel. If you intend to live purposefully, prepare to swim against powerful currents.

If you're still searching, don't despair. But don't delay either. Discover your gift with fierce curiosity. Develop it with uncompromising discipline. Then deliver it with open hands as though your life's purpose, work and meaning——depends on it.

I love to hear from readers - and 99% of thoughtful messages will hear back from me. (1% margin of error cause, you know, I’m human.)

Want more stuff like this? Sign up for Wit & Wisdom. It’s the only thing free on the internet that won’t try to sell you a lifetime subscription or try to replace your car warranty.