How do you know if you’re truly living your calling as a changemaker? In this blog, I share three powerful clues that may already be showing up in your journey.
In my previous blog, “Tip #17 – Three Clues That You Are Living the Calling”, I described the three most common clues I notice when I am living my calling, and the ones I see in the changemakers I coach.
If you didn’t recognise them in your journey, that’s ok! There are many other clues to look out for, and the ones below may resonate more.
Before you delve deeper into your calling, if you are not clear about the difference between “calling” and “purpose”, make sure to read “Tip #14 – Purpose or Calling: Which Comes First?”, where I clarify these concepts.
1. Money Is Key, but Not the Goal
Money is crucial in impact work, and it’s often a controversial, emotionally charged topic in our sector. Should changemakers make money? Should social entrepreneurs be allowed to exit their ventures with a financial return—and if so, how much? I will explore these questions in future blogs, so stay tuned!
For me, money has always been a means to increase impact, not the reason to create it.
When I founded Micro Rainbow, I knew I didn’t want to build another charity that survived from grant to grant, always vulnerable to funding cuts. I wanted to create an organisation that was financially sustainable and resilient, one that would continue creating impact long after I’m gone, and one that could afford to pay its staff (including me!) fairly.
So yes, money was front of mind. But it was never the destination.
My drive wasn’t to make money for its own sake, it was to use money to create long-term change. The paradox, of course, is that to do that, I had to think early on about how Micro Rainbow would generate income. The business model and revenue mattered, but the motivation behind them was impact, not profit.
A powerful clue that you’re on the right path is this: money becomes a positive and essential side effect of following your calling, not the source of your joy. The fulfilment comes from the work itself, from the mission, from the journey.
2. You Feel an Imposter
I’ve experienced impostor syndrome throughout most of my career—a quiet voice telling me I wasn’t qualified enough or the right kind of person to lead. When I founded Micro Rainbow at 34, I couldn’t even say “I am a social entrepreneur” without cringing.
It took me nearly a decade to claim that identity. For years, it felt fraudulent.
What shifted was this: I started recognising my impact as evidence, not luck. I reframed the story from “I don’t belong here” to “My path is exactly why I bring value.”
Here’s the radical idea: feeling like an imposter can be a sign that you are following your calling. Imposter syndrome can show up because you care deeply, because the calling matters. Because you’re growing, stretching, daring to be authentic, that is why it feel uncomfortable. It’s the same feeling I had when I created Micro Rainbow. It took me ten years before I could confidently say, without cringing, “I am a social entrepreneur.”
3. You Feel That “It Makes Sense.”
This is the moment when you recognise—rationally—that you are following your calling because your life begins to organise itself in your mind.
You start to understand your experiences, your traumas, the choices you made, your setbacks, and how you recovered from them. You look back and see a trail of preparation, and the pieces start to fit together.
When you look at all those elements, it just… makes sense. It becomes almost an objective confirmation that you are on the right path.
This sense often comes with acceptance and a grounded strength. You’re no longer questioning every choice. You’re no longer lost in constant self-doubt or impostor feelings.
I find this clue incredibly helpful and stabilising. The changemaker journey is full of tensions to hold, risks to take, and long periods of sitting with the unknown. Even if this “it makes sense” feeling lasts just a few moments, experiencing it regularly helps me balance uncertainty with clarity and rootedness.
Sebastian’s Coffee Cup Coaching Corner
Grab a coffee, take 10 minutes, and reflect on these three prompts:
- Clue 1 – What motivates you?
- Clue 2 – What’s a part of you that makes you cringe, even just a little?
- Clue 3 – What “makes sense” in your impact journey?
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share in the comments, on LinkedIn, or message me directly. Let’s stay connected.
With solidarity and hope,
Sebastian
P.S. If you enjoyed this post, explore the Build a Social Enterprise Blog for more insights and stories, and join my free newsletter on LinkedIn.
You can also find me on LinkedIn @sebastianrocca and Instagram @buildasocialenterprise
