Hello and welcome to this episode of the Raising Yourself Up podcast. I’m your host, Ben Povlow.
In today’s episode, I am going to read Chapter 1 of my new book, You Must Be Present to Win: A Guide to Spiritual Awakening and Personal Growth. I’ll be reading directly from the physical copy, so you may hear a few pages turning. Once I finish the reading, I’ll break down a few key topics covered in the chapter, expand on some highlights, and share actionable steps to help you on your journey.
So stick with me until the end, get your pen and paper ready, and let's begin.
Chapter 1: Flow, Resistance, and the Call to Purpose
I’ve learned to flow with the current of my life. The more I resist, the more I suffer. For most people, this is the case.
Once we know what we can do, we must do it regarding our purpose. Sure, some callings can be intimidating, and resistance is our knee-jerk reaction. But we must push past that initial doubt if we want to create the life of our dreams.
You may not feel qualified for your calling, but when you trust in God, you can eliminate all doubt. Trust the process even when you don’t understand. We often can’t wrap our minds around what we are being called to do in our current state of awareness. Sometimes, we are called to a purpose so great that we can’t imagine it truly being for us based on our limiting beliefs. Doubts about what we’re capable of can stop us from ever getting started.
Surrender and trust are essential if this is what you find yourself thinking. Suffering can be part of the journey. I accept the suffering because I know it serves a purpose. When people you care about are removed from your life without understanding why, it can be hard to accept. Whatever the reason may be, on the spiritual journey, change is to be expected. The less we resist, the easier the process becomes. We must let go of what no longer serves us if we desire to grow.
The universe is vast and complex. We will never have all the answers, but we do have enough information to take the next step—one step at a time, like when you’re driving in the dark. Your headlights only shine 50 feet in front of you; as you move, the road ahead continues to illuminate. You are the light that shines as you move. Keep moving forward, and your path will reveal itself.
I am a walking testimony of what’s possible. God doesn’t make mistakes. My hell made me strong and compassionate at the same time.
I have reached the significant age of 49. I have lived 30 years longer than I ever expected. I survived my teenage years by dodging bullets on five different occasions—literally. I was a juvenile delinquent with no direction, guidance, or worthwhile reason to live. My father died when I was 10, and my mom passed away when I was 16. I turned to the streets for direction, and it landed me in juvenile detention for 18 months. I was placed in a Native American-themed program called VisionQuest, where I participated in ceremonies that I consider some of my first spiritual experiences.
I didn’t begin pointing my life in a positive direction until I was 28, when I discovered self-help and personal development. Most of this part of my life is documented in my first book, Self-Help for At-Risk Teens, where I use my experiences and hindsight to help others avoid the same negative path. Don’t let the title mislead you; adults of all ages have praised the personal improvement strategies discussed in that book.
I’ve lived for myself; now I live to serve. One clear distinction all life’s purposes share is service in one way or another—accepting the reality that all of humanity, plants, and creatures alike deserve love and attention.
Seek your purpose with a passion. Stop looking for the easy path. Choose a path with resistance where you can grow. Separate yourself from the masses; the world doesn’t need more sheep in the herd. Be your unique self. Go within to discover who you really are. Don’t let the outside world determine who you should be.
Meditation and reading will help you discover your spiritual self, which is just under the surface. You must quiet your mind, turn off the noise, tune out the distractions, and choose inner peace. Stop resisting what you were created to be once you’ve heard the calling. Only you can do what you were uniquely sent here to do.
Whether you believe it or not, you’ve created the life you’re living through the choices you’ve been making. There were lessons you needed to learn to raise your consciousness and evolve your soul. Often, we just see these lessons as problems. Change the lens you look through, and the steps in the awakening process will reveal themselves.
Life will get easier. You will begin to flow with the river of life once you surrender. People won’t understand your journey; don’t try to explain it to those who are just looking to criticize or judge your choices. Do what feels right and resist the urge to make excuses for your choices.
God hears every silent prayer. He sees every sacrifice. There is no need to announce what you’re doing. You came into this world with nothing, and you will leave with the same thing. Don’t allow physical objects to have power over you. Resist struggling to retain possession of the things you don’t really need. Living a simple life means having less and being more.
Seek to gain more knowledge and insight. Becoming your true, authentic self is a never-ending journey—embrace it. All you truly need will be provided for you when you follow your intuition. Read, listen, and watch that which will help you understand, grow, and show you what’s possible.
Your transformation is already underway. Surrender to your inner knowing. Stop questioning the positive internal thoughts just because you don’t fully understand them yet. Don’t allow fear and doubt to stop you from fulfilling your life’s purpose. Stop questioning your worth. God wouldn’t ask you for more than you have to offer. You are equipped with all you need and more. Trust yourself.
You were chosen for a reason. Make it your mission to discover what you came here to do. The answer is already inside you. Do the work, and the answers will reveal themselves. Stop seeking answers from other humans who are unqualified to know what’s inside of you. Your purpose was placed in your heart before you took your first breath.
Has past programming deterred you from acting on your truth? Did someone tell you to stop doing something because they deemed you as not being good enough?
Your purpose isn’t something you go out and achieve; it’s the wisdom you extract from your greatest struggle. If you want to find the map to your true purpose, don’t look at your accomplishments first. Look at where you felt the most friction, pain, or inadequacy in your life. We are conditioned to hide our raw vulnerabilities, but those exact places are where our deepest wisdom lives.
Your purpose isn’t waiting for you at the top of a mountain; it’s waiting inside the very challenges you’ve had to navigate and overcome. You don’t discover your purpose despite your struggles—you discover your purpose through them. What wounded you most deeply is usually the exact medicine you are meant to offer the world.
This is where being told repeatedly about my writing abilities was only half the answer I was looking for as I searched for my purpose. Using systems like Human Design and Gene Keys, I’ve discovered much of what my intuition had been telling me: I am a natural storyteller. Writing is just one of the mediums I am naturally gifted with to serve my purpose. The second part is knowing what to write and speak about. I instinctively knew I wanted to write about the struggles I’d been through in my first book. Confirmation came many years later when I became aware of my ability to see in black and white why my life unfolded the way it did. Using tools like Human Design charts led me to discover so much about myself in all areas of life.
This topic is broad and can get complicated, but if you’re interested, here are some starting points. (Warning: Watch out for the rabbit holes!)
Action Steps
Reflection can be powerful in identifying your purpose. Consider these reflection questions and frameworks:
- Identify What Brings You Joy: What has brought you joy, excitement, and satisfaction in the past? Think back to your younger years. Did you stop doing something because of life’s circumstances or discouragement from others?
- Merge Your Experience and Passion: Our life’s purpose can be multi-layered. Use your imagination to merge your experiences, skills, and lessons to paint a picture of a reality where your purpose and passions become one.
- Focus on Service: Make a note of how your vision can benefit others to provide an extra layer of motivation.
- Explore Self-Discovery Frameworks: If you want to dive deeper into the frameworks that map your core wounds, natural gifts, and personal blueprint, consider researching the following terms:
- Self-Discovery & Energy Blueprints: Search Human Design, Quantum Human Design, Natal Chart, and Astrology.
- Integrating Wounds & Purpose: Search Gene Keys, The Venus Sequence, and The Pearl Sequence.
- Internal Guidance Systems: Search Life’s Purpose Maps and Spiritual GPS.
Deep-Dive: Overcoming Doubt & Taking Action
Now, let’s break down a few key themes that came to mind for me while reading this chapter.
1. Feeling Qualified for Your Calling
Right at the top, we talk about feeling qualified for your calling. There’s a phrase I’ve heard many times over: "God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called."
When we don't feel qualified, our natural reaction is to hide out or refrain from taking action. Speaking from my own experience—when the idea first came to me that I should write a book, it was hard to wrap my mind around. At the time, I was a construction worker. I had spent the majority of my life working in construction, so I thought, "What business do I have being a writer?" I dismissed it at first. But over time, that thought weighed on me so heavily that it became a dominant calling I had to pursue.
2. Uncovering Purpose Through Past Struggles
What is that one thing that keeps coming to your mind when you finally quiet the noise? When you’re on a long drive with the radio off and no distractions—forgetting about the bills, the stress, and yesterday's problems—what is the unique thought that surfaces regarding what you should be doing with your life?
Your purpose is often tied to your greatest struggles. What have you gone through? What were the hardest things you had to navigate—losing a loved one, going through a divorce, or overcoming adversity? How can you reframe those experiences into something that serves and helps others?
3. Taking the First Step
When you let go of what no longer serves you, you free up mental space to think new thoughts. Revisit the things that brought you joy before life got in the way. Ask yourself: If you weren't getting paid, and you could do anything with your day, what would bring you excitement and satisfaction? Write those answers down.
Remember, your headlights only shine 50 feet in front of you. You don't need to see the final destination to get started. When you take the first step, the next step reveals itself. Look for volunteer opportunities, share your story through writing or speaking, or simply connect with someone who can offer a new perspective. Action is where the real experience and value lie.
Thank you for listening to Chapter 1 of You Must Be Present to Win. Take these reflection points with you this week, write down your thoughts, and take that next step forward!
