We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Rose a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I have a theory: that purpose is not something that we find, purpose is just who we are. We all have soul-gifts that we are sharing all the time, and I guarantee most of us are making a difference in other people’s lives when we don’t even realize it. I actually did an Instagram post on this, because I really don’t think purpose is tied to achievement – it’s just how we show up in the world, with friends, with family, at the grocery store. But I love when purpose and career converge, and that has always been something I’ve personally strived for. I think that comes from being deeply authentic to yourself. So for me, it was listening to my passions. I really just followed my heart. And despite the odds, and the many voices that told me I couldn’t and shouldn’t — even when it made no logical sense, even when I didn’t know how I’d pay the rent, even when the more “safe and secure” path was presented to me multiple times — I continued to pursue the things that made me happy. I stayed true to the little voice inside myself that kept nudging me forward, telling me that what I wanted out of life was worth the struggle and growth. For me, anything else felt like too much of an inner compromise. So I think passion is the window into purpose, so the more we give energy to what we love, and the more we follow our curiosities, the more we are led to use our gifts in larger and more impactful ways. That has definitely been true in my life, and has taken me to really surprising and exciting places.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
You know, I’ve been thinking a lot lately on this question – how to explain to people what it is that I do. The more I grow into myself, the more roles I’ve taken on. And in a world that loves to clearly define people, I’ve been asking myself: how do I explain that I’m an actor, a writer, Human Design reader, life coach, and podcaster, all in one?! But that’s me. I have a tough time categorizing myself for others without splitting myself apart. I think part of my journey over the last few years has been unraveling the notion that I have to choose one path, and I feel so lucky to have such a fun, meaningful career that expresses the different dimensions of who I am. I’ve heard so many times that to be successful we have to “pick a lane”, but honestly, that has never worked out for me. Not only does it go against the multifaceted nature of life and the human spirit, but especially in a creative industry that naturally comes with some unpredictability (such as the strike this past year), I feel more empowered knowing I have many different ways I can be in joy and feel purposeful.
But at the core, I’m a creator and storyteller with a deep passion – if not obsession – with what makes us human. It is absolutely what drew me to being an actress and filmmaker, and it’s that same deep curiosity that drew me to Human Design, which opened up my understanding of the human condition in ways I had never explored before. The beauty for me is that these two passions are constantly feeding each other. My work with clients absolutely informs my artistry, and I have no doubt that my own pursuit of my creative dreams makes me especially equipped with empathy and understanding to support clients on their own unconventional paths.
What’s been especially present for me lately is my coaching work. Like I mentioned, as an actor and writer, our industry has been on strike over the last year, which was challenging but also gave me the opportunity to both travel and focus on serving in other ways. I not only specialize in Human Design readings, which I love to do, but my practice has organically evolved to support people more deeply in their deconditioning process through what I call Integration Coaching. For those unfamiliar with Human Design, essentially it’s a system of self-knowledge that uses your birth data (similar to astrology) to articulate the essence of your authentic self. We are all here to be exactly who we are, and yet we are also deeply conditioned by our family and societal systems in such a way that often pulls away from our authenticity. While human design offers powerful tools for deconditioning, it became clear to me through my practice that people are really hungry for more support through that process. No matter how big our dreams are, or how unfulfilled we feel in the state of our lives, we all have resistance to change. Many people feel fear about what could happen if they actually step into their potential or begin to honor themselves. It’s so natural – our conditioned patterns, behaviors, stories, and narratives have been our strategies for survival for our entire lives. So I’m now a certified transformation coach who specializes in Human Design. I support people to integrate the wisdom of their chart, identify their conditioning, reconnect to their authenticity, and step more deeply into their purpose. It is truly the most meaningful work I’ve ever done. I am also developing some new coaching packages, deconditioning resources, and Human Design tools that will be announced on my website very soon!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Such a great question! I think the first one is resilience, but I don’t think that was a quality that was innate to me. I was a really sensitive, empathetic, dreamy, creative kid who I think genuinely expected all her dreams to just show up at her doorstep. So I think life is the best teacher for this one. When hard things come at us, we have two options: we stay victims to it, or we learn to grow and meet the challenge. And the more we choose growth, we discover ourselves to be more powerful, adaptable, courageous, and resourceful than we ever knew. I am the first person to advocate that everyone should follow their dreams, but when you choose to live your life as an artist or entrepreneur, it often comes with years of rejection, financial challenges, and unpredictability as you build a name for yourself. So it takes a combo of really being in love with what you’re choosing to pursue, and having a certain amount of grit and resourcefulness to keep going. It’s so worthwhile, though. My advice if someone is wanting to build more resiliency in their life: go through the challenges with a big open heart. Don’t bypass anything, don’t give up, don’t be afraid to take risks, and don’t stop believing in yourself.
The second quality is a core value of mine: I’m deeply committed to personal growth and continuous learning. We all have gaps in our knowledge, skills, or personal development on our journey from where we are to where we dream to be. It isn’t about striving for perfection; it’s recognizing that we are all life-long learners, and we are always in evolution. Even the most successful people in the world have coaches and mentors to help them keep growing. It’s in acknowledging what we don’t know and actively seeking to learn and grow that we bridge the gap between where we are and where we aspire to be. I think the best advice I’ve gotten about how to develop in this mindset is to set growth goals rather than traditional goals; as in, look at where you want to be and recognize the ways you need to grow to get there – what knowledge do you need to attain, skills you want to develop, etc? Then take one small step towards attaining that learning today.
The third quality is probably the most important to me: authenticity. I actually think this one has been the natural outcome of the other two. While I was always connected to my dreams and my passions, it took me years of resilience and continuous growth to discover who I really truly am, what my values really are, what I’m actually made of. And in that process, I had to let go of the things that weren’t actually in alignment for me – even if on paper they seemed like the things to strive for. When we aren’t being true to who we are, no matter how successful we become in our lives and careers, eventually something starts to feel off. It’s very easy in a creative industry to contort ourselves to what we think others want us to be and lose our sense of self. So authenticity has been vital for me: it’s allowed me to find the friendships, connections, clientele, and projects that deeply resonate with me, and has made my work genuinely fulfilling. In every industry, there are always so many people also doing what you want to do. The only thing that sets you and them apart is your authenticity. No one else can be you. And I guarantee the thing that is most unique to you is what the world needs most.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think it’s better to go all in on our PASSIONS. I might be sounding repetitive at this point, but this is a truth I see repeatedly in my own life and in my work with clients. Sometimes our passions align with our existing strengths and talents, and at other times, they push us to learn new skills or invest more effort to develop. So, I think we need to be well-rounded in what we are passionate about. This ties back to what I said about continuous learning: it’s helpful to focus on where you want to be and understand the growth needed to get there. But what’s the point in pouring your energy into something that doesn’t speak to your heart?
For example, in my own life, I was always naturally gifted as an actress, and it was truly my passion. But, as time went on, I felt limited and creatively stifled by sitting around and waiting for my dream roles to just show up. So, I began to develop in areas that I didn’t feel as strong in but were still related to what I loved: writing, producing, and editing. It took more effort, but it rounded out my skill set in such a way that allowed me to have more agency to make art on my own terms and direct the course of my career. It also accelerated my career forward like nothing else had. It wouldn’t have been valuable for me to learn how to be a grip or sound designer because I have zero interest in those areas — we can outsource on the things that we aren’t skilled in and have no passion for. I like to put my energy where my dreams are.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://bydesignwithjess.com
- Instagram: @officialjessicarose & @bydesignwithjess
- Other: https://www.innerrebelpodcast.com
