When the Mission Changes

When I left the Navy, I was ready to move on.

I had just spent a year dealing with an injury and surgery before I could officially get out. When the day finally came, I threw my entire seabag, uniforms and all, into a dumpster.

The next morning, I saw a homeless guy wearing my dress whites.

I had to laugh. I guess he wasn’t ready to leave the Navy yet.

But I was.

What I didn’t fully understand was how much of my identity had been tied to that world. For years, I knew my role, my team, and my mission. Then it changed.

That happens to all of us.

A career ends. Kids leave home. A relationship changes. An injury takes something away. A title disappears. A door closes that you thought would stay open.

The mission changes, and we have to change with it.

I’ve learned that purpose isn’t tied to a title, a uniform, or a season of life. It’s built by how we show up when the old mission is over and the next one isn’t clear yet.

So here’s my question for you:

If your title, role, or routine disappeared tomorrow, what would still be true about who you are?

The mission will change. Make sure your identity can survive it.

—
Brian Dickinson
Author. Speaker. Host of Calm in the Chaos Podcast
briandickinson.net