Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?

Culture, economic circumstances, family traditions, local customs and more can often influence us more than we realize. With the benefit of hindsight, we asked some wise and experienced members of our community whether they think they are doing what they were meant to do or told to do.

Andrew de Burgh

I’m grateful to be doing what I believe I was born to do. It may sound like a simplified answer but spending my entire life as a film fan and being able to do it professionally really makes me believe I’m doing what I was born to do. I have such a passion for cinema and it’s history that I hope my journey will continue. Read more>>

Vince Remo

I am definitely doing what I was born to do. It was just a matter of me embracing it and believing that it is possible. Read more>>

Benedikt Sebastian

I don’t really believe in the idea that we’re born to do one specific thing. I think we’re born curious, and we intuitively move toward what holds our attention. If there are things you can do endlessly without getting bored — things you return to again and again — that’s probably a good signal you’re on the right path. Read more>>

Antwon Russell

Doing what I was born to do means showing up fully, and DJing is where I feel most alive. It took courage to quiet the noise and trust my own rhythm. Faith has a different relationship with time than sight does, and trusting that gave me the confidence to lean into my creativity even when I couldn’t see where it would take me. Read more>>

Wesley Raymond Espinoza-Hull

I honestly do believe that I’m doing what I was born to do, Entertain. When I was a small child, I used to put on plays and shows at home, Going around the neighborhood giving tickets to neighbors and inviting them to our home where my Best Friend Maureen Blake now Maureen Iglesias and I would sing and dance for them. Read more>>

Stina Funch

Growing up on a small island in Denmark, I was convinced I wanted to be an air hostess… then I pivoted hard and decided I would be a great attorney. My mother, very calmly, suggested that Hotel School in Copenhagen might be a very good idea instead. I listened — mostly. Read more>>

Shino Saito

Honestly, when I think about whether I’m doing what I was ‘born to do,’ I’m not entirely sure I can claim it as a clear, lifelong destiny from the start. Read more>>