There’s this line I keep coming back to:
“And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore.” — Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven
It’s bleak. Haunting. Confusing, but clear.
It’s the kind of writing that carves a quiet scar into your memory. You read it again. And again.
The twist? Edgar Allan Poe was allegedly drunk when he wrote this.
Which doesn’t make the poem any less brilliant.
If anything, it reveals something uncomfortable and fascinating:
Sometimes, the most potent creations come from the most chaotic states.
Not because the chaos creates greatness,
But because it can awaken a muse.
The Hidden Pattern Behind Masterpieces
Poe wasn’t alone.
- Beethoven, nearly deaf, composed his Ninth Symphony in silence.
- Frida Kahlo, in constant pain, painted raw beauty straight from her spine.
- Kurt Cobain turned his inner dissonance into a sound that defined a generation.
- Even Steve Jobs, at the height of Apple’s return, credited a spiritual clarity found through psychedelics as part of his creative vision.
None of them were chasing money.
Most weren’t chasing impact, either.
They were channeling something.
Not productivity.
Not performance.
Not a 10-year mission statement with bullet points and KPIs.
They were chasing their muse.
That electric current you feel when you’re doing the thing that’s undeniably yours.
Let’s Talk About Purpose
In coaching, people often expect purpose to show up like a clean TED Talk title.
But here’s the truth: Purpose isn’t a job title. It’s organized chaos.
When you’re in alignment with your muse, you feel it in your nervous system.
- You’re not just performing, you’re transmitting.
- You’re not just working, you’re remembering.
- You’re not just creating, you’re channeling.
That’s purpose.
And no, it doesn’t always feel peaceful or perfect. But it always feels alive.
The answer isn’t another checklist.
It’s reconnecting with that deeper WHY, your muse.
How to Find It (Or Let It Find You)
You don’t need to drink absinthe or suffer in agony to find our muse.
You just need to listen.
Here’s where we start inside N3XU:
1. Track Your Obsessions
What do you never get tired of thinking about, talking about, creating around?
Purpose hides inside your obsessions.
2. Notice Your Emotional Triggers
What angers you? Moves you? Breaks your heart?
That’s not dysfunction. That’s direction.
3. Build a Feedback Loop
We create coaching spaces, reflection rituals, and Clarity Sprints designed to help you hear your muse more clearly.
Because your muse doesn’t scream.
It whispers.
You just need to turn down the rest of the noise.
Final Thought
You don’t need a life purpose that fits in a pitch deck.
You need a muse. A thread of aliveness that runs through your work, your creativity, your presence.
That’s the version of purpose that actually lasts.
The one that won’t burn you out.
The one that won’t fade when your goals change.
The one that survives even in the shadows.
Like the raven on the bust.
Still sitting.
Still waiting.
Not to haunt you.
But to wake you up.
Let’s find your frequency.
Let’s meet your muse.
– Diana
Founder of N3XU
Fellow Traveler. Systems Nerd. Believer in Thoughtful Change.
