149: Changing Course to Find Your True Calling with Ryan Monk

"I thought my calling was to be a Catholic priest." – Ryan Monk

It wasn’t a whim. Ryan devoted years — undergrad, master’s, a year of theology in seminary — to answering what he believed was his life’s purpose.

But somewhere along the way, a quiet unease began to grow. His head said priesthood but his heart whispered his gifts might belong in a different kind of service — one with a family at the center & a new way of walking alongside people in their most important moments.

So, he traded vestments for brick dust, late-night restaurant shifts, & finally, law school — chasing a career that could both provide for his young family & serve others.

Then 2008 hit.

The economy tanked. A Big Law offer disappeared. And that mortgage, those babies… they were staring him down.

Ryan took one last leap of faith — starting from a borrowed desk in a warehouse. Little by little, he built his own law firm on three values you can’t fake: humility, gratitude, & joy — the kind that shows up in grief, uncertainty, recessions, pandemics, & all the moments in between.

If you’ve ever wondered whether changing course can bring you closer to your true calling…

Connect at monklegal.com

Joseph Campbell said it best of journeys like Ryan’s: “Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.”