The Crossroads of Should and Must, by Elle Luna

There are so many people wondering about how to find their passion, their meaning in life, or as Elle Luna puts it; their “Must”.

This book is about how you can identify all of the “Shoulds” in your life, address whether or not they are still applicable and then try to move on to your “Must”.

Elle presents a few simple exercises to help you identify your must. Most of them center around paying attention to what you do with your time and what activities you gravitate toward.

The exercises and the advice are extremely practical. Honestly this came as a surprise to me considering the artsy way the book is written and illustrated. This is not a “who cares, just quit your job and follow your dream” book. It is also not a “read my magic words and your “Must” will appear” book. It is just practical advice on how to put in the work and figure out what makes your life more fulfilling.

She goes on to talk about the four biggest concerns or obstacles people have once they have discovered their must:

• Money, what if I can’t make money with my “Must”?
• Time, where will I find the time to pursue my “Must”?
• Space, you are going to need a safe space to work on your “Must”.
• Vulnerability, What is everybody going to think?

She wraps it up by reminding us that once we find our “Must”, it is our duty to put in the hard work and share our “Must” with the world.

“It’s not enough to reach the treasure, one must bring it back.”

Roger Lipsey, author.

This doesn’t mean you have to pursue your “Must” full-time, but instead just a few hours a week can make a major impact on your life and those around you. Dr. Swenson writes in “Margin” how he found ways in his medical practice to pursue his “Musts” of working with the underprivileged. He didn’t quit medicine and become a full-time volunteer, but he is still making a major impact on his “Must”, and that’s what really matters.

I was vaguely aware of these concepts when I left Procter & Gamble years ago. I was fortunate because my “Musts”, which were being of service to others and working with personal finances, enabled me to get paid.

The book is based on a blog post that Elle wrote in 2014 that proceeded to go viral. This book is a very pleasant read. You will be able to finish it in about two or three hours.

I highly recommend getting the hardback version of this book and reading it through a couple of times. Maybe pass it along to a friend when you are done. I’m on my second copy.