Discovering My Life’s Task: A Personal Narrative Inspired by Robert Greene

I am proud to share my story—a journey that has shaped not only my career but also my purpose in life. I was the first male in my family to graduate from both high school and college, which was a significant milestone. However, college was not the traditional route for my family. After high school, I was encouraged to go straight into the workforce, and despite my own desire to pursue higher education, I followed that expected path. I moved from job to job, each one offering a little more pay and a new challenge. Eventually, I found a position that seemed to offer a real potential role where the growth opportunities and compensation finally felt worth the time and energy I was investing. I worked my way up to lead trainer and began learning the responsibilities of a managerial role. When the position became available, I was asked to perform the manager’s duties for a month. I led the team, trained others, and fulfilled every task expected of a manager. But when the decision was made to officially fill the role, I passed over. The reason? The selected candidate had more formal education. That feedback lit a fire within me. I realized that I needed to take control of my future. Without guidance, I enrolled in community college while continuing to work full time. Balancing both was challenging, but in that process, I discovered my passion—not just for leadership, but for technology. I had always had an intuitive grasp of tech, but I also loved helping people improve and grow. My niche became clear: combining leadership and technology in a way that helps others succeed. Robert Greene (2013) outlines five strategies to help individuals discover their life’s task in his book Mastery. The first strategy, “Return to your origins,” encourages us to reconnect with the interests and abilities we had in childhood. For me, technology was always second nature. I was the one fixing electronics and figuring out new software even as a kid. Those early experiences were clues pointing me toward my purpose. The second strategy, “Occupy the perfect niche,” is about aligning your natural talents with your environment. Being passed over for that management position taught me that my ideal role isn’t just leadership or technology, it’s the combination of both. That is my niche, and that’s where I thrive. The third strategy, “Let go of the past,” reminds us not to be defined by setbacks or disappointments. I could have stayed bitter after being overlooked, but I chose to grow from it. Going back to school gave me the tools to better understand both leadership theory and emerging technologies. The fourth strategy, “Trust the process,” reinforces the value of patience and persistence. Working full time while studying wasn’t easy, but each challenge taught me resilience and focus. Over time, I gained clarity on how I could use my skills to help others—especially those intimidated by technology—to feel confident and capable. The fifth strategy, “Find your way back,” is about recognizing how all your experiences shape who you are and guide you toward your life’s task. Today, I work closely with small businesses, teaching them how to integrate new software, recommend hardware upgrades, and manage IT solutions that help them thrive. But more importantly, I help people—guiding them through change, empowering them through knowledge, and leading them to success. As I continue developing professionally, I’ve set a new SMART goal to support my career transition into a business or data analyst role. My goal is to optimize my LinkedIn profile so it clearly reflects my experience, skills, and aspirations. This goal is Specific, focusing on updating my headline, summary, relevant experience, and certifications. It is Measurable, as I will complete one section at a time and track improvements in profile engagement. It is Achievable, as I plan to dedicate 20 to 30 minutes each day to the updates and improvements. It is Relevant to my long-term career plans in analytics and leadership. Lastly, it is Time-bound, as I aim to complete all updates within the next four weeks and begin actively networking for analyst opportunities. Also, I am committed to getting my Fundamentals of Business Analysis badge for LinkedIn. The class is laid out in Coursera. It can be completed within one to four weeks. It is very achievable because the class is work at your own pace and I can dedicate a day to each section. This badge will boost my relevance in my career field. The time on planing to complete this goal is within three weeks. In the end, discovering your life’s task isn’t about titles about impact. It’s about learning who you are, what you’re good at, and how you can use those strengths to make a difference. Greene’s strategies helped me understand that success isn’t found by following someone else’s path—it’s found by mastering your own. References Greene, R. (2013). Mastery. Penguin Books.