Is writing my calling in life?

The fact that are you reading this is because you may be wondering: am I supposed to be a writer?

Perhaps you read an inspiring book, were a good writer in school, studied communications, or have a knack for expressing yourself. Any of these thoughts may have caused you to wonder, should I have been a writer? Or perhaps you are a writer and are starting to question your ability to be successful, to doubt your abilities.

To all of you out there, I say, if you feel it, pursue it.

Most people who were successful in life didn't have instant success. We read a handful of stories of people who made it big quickly and easily, and we tend to believe it is the norm when in reality, it is not.

The more you put your focus and energy into something, the more it will grow.

According to edsurge.com, research suggests that it takes an average of 10,000 hours to become a master at something.

If you are wondering if you should be a writer, ask yourself these two question:

1. Have I written at least 10,000 hours in a semi-consistent time frame?

2. Am I willing to write for 10,000 hours?

If you answered yes to any of these two, then perhaps writing is your calling in life, and you should pursue it fully.

There are times in our life that we can't explain why, but we feel very drawn to a field. There are many fields to pursue, and we may feel drawn to a couple. It is my personal belief that if you feel magnetized to it, you probably would be good at it, and it is something you should pursue.

Reflect and ask yourself: do I feel happy when I think about being a writer? Do I feel joy when I write? These questions can be very telling.

This life is about finding happiness, figuring out who we are, and discovering our unique purpose. Sometimes in life, we may pursue something, and it doesn't work out. And we quickly assume, I am not good at this, this is not my calling. To that, I say no. Perhaps that direction wasn't right, but that doesn't mean the pursuit is wrong.

Maybe you got rejected by a publisher, agent, teacher, or perhaps even a family member said something rude about your writing. It may lead you to doubt your writing abilities.

The thing I believe is, if one door doesn't open, another will, and if one door doesn't open, try another way to open it. Don't ever give up. If writing is your passion, never stop pursuing it because who knows, maybe in 30 years, you will end up being the next J.K. Rowling.