‘You just know’: A phenomenological study examining how to recognize when you are called

This phenomenological study describes the experiences of 12 residents of a Midwestern community who were identified by their peers as possibly possessing a calling. The central research question was: What are the experiences that lead to feelings of strong commitment in their lives? Calling was defined as a summons, which originates outside of one\u27s self, to serve a cause that betters humanity. Participants described the strong commitments they felt in their lives and explained their origins. Five themes emerged from the semi-structure interviews: (a) You have to be asked and respond to being asked —the role of a mentor in one\u27s calling, (b) the call to service: It just happened , (c) calls can come at unexpected times, (d) answering a call can be rewarding—but those rewards aren\u27t always obvious, and (e) secular callings can come from a religious calling. The essence of recognizing one\u27s calling was the realization that a calling can come at a moment\u27s notice—even if it isn\u27t immediately recognized—and the source of this call can be a summons to serve—society, and one\u27s God, family, community and profession