dancing at your desk

Finding your path

BY SUE FREDERICK

My New Year’s gift to you is a little game involving numbers. It’s designed to give you a new perspective on what you’re here to accomplish with your career. Grab a pencil, and let’s figure out how to make the best of 2008.

As you know, your life purpose is about using your unique talents to help others, have fun, love those around you and create abundance for all. If your work is true to that original intention, then your work is inspired, enjoyable, meaningful and prosperous. If it doesn’t feel that way, you’ve probably fallen off-path. This exercise will help you more clearly determine your
chosen career path.

Imagine, for a moment, that a road map of your life and career is contained in the numbers in your birthday. This is a concept that has been used throughout the ages. In fact, numbers are our oldest symbols, and are fundamental to the abstraction of ideas. References to numbers having spiritual or metaphysical meanings can be found in every ancient civilization including the Egyptians, Chinese, Hindus, Hebrews (in the Kaballah) and early Christians. Even the bible gives meanings to numbers in the book of Revelation.

That’s what ancient mystic and philosopher, Pythagoras, father of our modern number system, believed, when, in 580 B.C., he designed a theory of numbers based on the digits 1 through 9. According to Pythagoras, each number has specific attributes, and by adding the numbers within your birthday and reducing them to single digits, you reveal the nature of the work you came here to do. For example, let’s say you were born on September 16, 1951. Here’s what your formula would look like:

Birth Month: September = 9
Birth Day = 16
Birth Year = 1951
Total (9 + 16 + 1951) = 1976
Add the single digits within 1976 (1+9+7+6) = 23
Add the single digits with 23 (2 + 3) = 5
Your birth path number = 5

This means that your chosen path correlates to the attributes of the number 5.

As your career coach, I would tell you that you need a career involving expanded opportunities for travel, adventure and sensual experiences; a cubicle just won’t do. You’d be an awesome travel guide or sales person who lives on the road. You’ll always take the expanded view of life; people may think you’re a little out there. But being out there inspires you, as you
gobble up life’s experiences. I’d steer you away from conventional careers and encourage you to take risks, which would fuel your passions.

Have you added together the single digits within your birthday and reduced them to one single digit like we did in the example above? What did you get? This single-digit number you’ve deduced from your birth date contains information about the path you chose for this lifetime. (There are two “master numbers”--11 and 22--which you don’t digit down to single numbers. Just leave them as As you read about the meaning of your path described below, ask yourself if you’re living up to what you came here to do. Or have you fallen off-path? If you’re feeling pessimistic, negative or bitter, that’s strong evidence that something has knocked you off-path.

To get back on track, focus only on accomplishing your highest potential, using your innate talents, and doing what you’ve always dreamt of doing. Let 2008 be the year you get back to who you truly are, and the work you came here to do.

Birth Path Number 1
You can’t blend in and get lost in the group. Yours is the destiny of the leader; you must imagine new things, pioneer new concepts, delegate details to others. People will happily line up behind your unique voice. Learn to nurture the best in others or you may end up alone. You’d be fulfilling your destiny as a pioneering designer, editor, director or inventor.

Birth Path Number 2
You must work in cooperation with others; you’re a great team player and are happy working in large corporations; you’ll be a tower of compassion, encouragement and support to those on your team. You’re great with details and are known for your kindness and sensitivity. (But beware of the pitfalls of hyper-sensitivity.) You’ll excel as a secretary, administrative assistant, musician in a band or orchestra, or a researcher for a pharmaceutical company.

Master Birth Path Number 11/2
You have star quality, creative genius and are capable of the highest forms of artistic creation. You can potentially change the consciousness of humanity with your highly specialized artistic sense--when it’s used to inspire others. You’ll attract great praise and great criticism as you live up to your brilliant path. But be wary of getting lost in tangents. You may be an artist, filmmaker, reformer, diplomat, psychic, mystic, writer or philosopher.

Birth Path Number 3
Social grace and beauty are your expressions, and you love being adored on stage, or through anything you create. Life is most fun when you’re feeling recognized and appreciated. Others enjoy basking in your fun energy, but beware of becoming a financial burden to others. You’ll shine as an actor, singer, talk-show host, beautician, fashion model, hostess or social director.

Birth Path Number 4
Practicality, self-discipline and getting it done are your strengths. You’re the work-horse who develops efficiency systems with your logical mind and ability to concentrate. You’re needed at the foundation of every great project. Don’t get lost in the details, or your hard work won’t be productive. You’ll excel in a career in accounting, mathematics, engineering or drafting, or as a mechanic, ecologist, electrician or economist.

Master Birth Path 22/4
You’re destined for unparalleled material power and greatness from making significant contributions that reshape the course of thought, industry, politics or art. You’re designed to lead the less enlightened into a brighter future and advance the most progressive new thinking. Your salvation lies in seeing the big picture, following your inspiration, and not getting lost in details. You’ll be a great political organizer, architect, public reformer, benefactor or media executive.

Birth Path Number 5
Yours is the path of the adventurer, sensualist, freedom-seeker and agent of change. You’re not suited for routine. Change is your ally and guides you through life. You’re a natural sales person or advertising executive. Marketing and promotion are easy for you, and you’ll thrive with travel, fashion, food and entertainment careers. You need meaning and purpose to anchor you. You’ll find your true path in sales or advertising, or as a publicist, food or wine connoisseur, travel writer or travel show host.

Birth Path Number 6
You have global consciousness, and you’re drawn to work for companies that promote social responsibility. You’ll bring harmony and enlightened leadership to groups as an educator, politician, counselor or healer. You may be drawn to the arts as a producer or director responsible for the group. Home and family are important, but don’t lose yourself in the needs of others. You’ll excel as a teacher, social worker, doctor, nurse, choreographer, counselor or parent.

Birth Path Number 7
Your path is mental and interior reflection. Analysis, intuition, science and philosophy are your gifts. The unknown and the mystical call you, and there lies your ultimate fulfillment. The business world doesn’t fit your vibration. You thrive when working alone pursuing wisdom and perfected thinking in your chosen career, which could include the arts. You’d be a great scientist, psychiatrist, psychologist, clergyman, researcher, investigator or philosopher.

Birth Path Number 8
Financial success and big business, or a career as a top-ranking professional athlete, are all on your destined path. You’ll quickly be pulled to the top of big business, where you’ll be recognized for your “executive cool.” Power and wealth are both your destiny and challenge, as you learn to use your power for good. You’ll shine as a manufacturer, CEO, banker, stockbroker, retail owner, financier or professional athlete, or in a political official.

Birth Path Number 9
Inspiring others with your compassion for the human condition and deep understanding of universal truths, you’ll continually let go of what you’ve finished and move forward gracefully. Your work will be humanitarian and artistically inclined. Your connection to the mystical will guide you, as long as you don’t look back and dwell on disappointments. You could be a fine artist, publisher, lecturer, composer, physician, humanitarian, political leader or philanthropist.

Career Intuitive Sue Frederick’s work has been featured in Yoga Journal, Natural Health and Fit Yoga, and at venues like The Crossings Retreat Center in Austin and Naropa University. She’s the author of Dancing at Your Desk: A Metaphysical Guide to Job Happiness; and Top Ten Reasons to Stop Facing Reality. For more information visit www.BrilliantWork.com, email Sue@BrilliantWork.com or call 303-939-8574.