Short answer: Use Facebook chat.

My story:

One idle Wednesday evening I basked in Facebook’s blue and white social playground and found my mission in life. Like any twenty-something kid seeking answers and distraction, I sought my friends. And guess what? Like your friends, mine are on Facebook.

The digital clock struck 10:37pm, and the pop of Facebook chat awakened my senses. Winnon, my schoolyard chum from my studies abroad in Denmark, messaged me a blunt question: “What do you want out of life the most?” To this day I cannot believe it, but I actually had a response—an immediate response. With burning passion my fingers slammed down upon my keyboard:

“To keep exploring the world and its people.”

That’s my mission in life.

I will sing through the streets echoing that mantra. Good sirs and fine ladies, I give you my zen, my core, my truth, my mission:

To explore the world and its people.

Now, this stroke of inspiration did not fall blindly onto me. No, as any good entrepreneur knows, chance favors the prepared. From structured graduation ceremonies of UCLA to chaotic consulting of Silicon Valley startups, I wore many hats these past six months to see what fit best. Some times were awesome, like late-night heart-to-hearts with friends about seeking a job in a crappy economy. Other times were just agonizing to the point of crying, like late night break-downs with friends about seeking a job in a crappy economy. But with the toil came exploration of the world and its marvelous people.

I feel privileged to live in the Silicon Valley; I hear people’s stories involving passion, risk and even death. This leaves me feeling inspired and spoiled. Just yesterday I met a man who stole an airplane in Saudi Arabia to escape death. I heard it alone. His story needs to be shared. It needs to inspire others.

Steve Jobs inspired because he spoke the truth: “you can only connect the dots looking backwards.” Peering back into my past, I have found my future mission. I’ve been a filmmaker¹, a world traveler² and a people-lover³. For two weeks I sat in front of blank paper and wrote out my passions, skills and dreams—no computers, no cell phones. Words like “travel,” “connect,” and “storytelling” repeated themselves. I literally wrote out the answer to my future mission:

To explore the world and its people.

I’m on a mission to create the next generation of travel shows. Like Rick Steves or Anthony Bourdain, I want to share the world with others.

You can find your mission too. Here’s an exercise you can try.

1. Whip out five sheets of paper and a pen.
2. On the first piece of paper list everything that interests you—from architecture to zoology. Then circle your top five.
3. On the second piece of paper list all of your skills—from knitting to computer programming. Then circle your top five.
4. On the third piece of paper list what types of people you like surrounding you. Are they funny? Innovative? Analytical? Then circle your top five.
5. On the fourth piece of paper list your values. Honesty, focus, balance—put them all down. Then circle your top five.
6. On the fifth piece of paper put together all of your top fives. Post it on your wall and stare at it. If you’ve been honest with yourself, you’ll discover a theme, and you’ll be on your way to discovering your mission in life.⁴

You’ll find the next part fun. Put your mission in action. Only you will know, deep in your gut, what actions to take. As for me, I’ve booked my tickets to South East Asia this March and will bring camera equipment in tow. I have no idea what I’ll discover and film, but I find that half the fun. It’ll keep me on my mission:

To explore the world and its people.

Each dream, though, comes with its realities. Plane tickets, film equipment, computers, medications, etc. all cost money. In the long term, like any entrepreneur, I would like to make a business out of the travel shows I create. So far, I’ve plopped down $2,500 for this production, which includes a hefty $1,293 flight to Asia. So, if you have found answers, inspiration, beauty or just a little chuckle now and then from myself and this blog, then I urge you to help build this dream into a reality via the PayPal button below. Each contribution adds up, and it’ll help bring you more Food Fridays and explorations into the world and its people.

Here’s to finding your mission in life.

 -:-

You can follow the steps I take in creating the next generation of travel shows by following my updates on Twitter.

I took this post’s photo in Pisac Market, Peru. The Peruvians are some of the most wonderful people in the world.

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¹ I’ve loved film ever since my Hi-8, stop-action Lego movies to my days leading UCLA’s Film & Photography Society.

² Twenty four wonderful countries so far.

³ I’m a brazen schmoozer. What can I say? I can always learn from every single person in the world.

⁴ This exercise is an abridged version of Richard N. Bolles’s extremely helpful career exploration exercise in What Color is Your Parachute?