Awakening Your Deepest Purpose and Living Your Soul’s Work with Jerry Fishman (Episode #156)

In this insightful conversation, Dr. Lynn Hellerstein speaks with Jerry Fishman, a lifelong creator, performer, and transformational leader devoted to helping people see—and live—beyond the limits of who they’ve been told they are. Jerry talks about what it means to live your deepest purpose—and how to align your life so it becomes an expression of your soul’s work.

From his early years as a young artist navigating life in New York to his current work helping people awaken to their soul’s work, Jerry offers a refreshing perspective on purpose, presence, intuition, and fulfillment.

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What Does It Really Mean to Live on Purpose?

Jerry explains that purpose is not something outside of us waiting to be discovered—it’s already within us. Living on purpose means regularly aligning yourself with your deepest truth through awareness, listening, and conscious action.

He shares that purpose is about expressing your unique voice and essence, not chasing achievements or external validation. It begins with slowing down enough to recognize what feels deeply true for you.

Why So Many People Feel Disconnected from Their Purpose

Many people have experienced moments of connection to their purpose—but life distractions often pull them away from it. Jerry reflects on how responsibilities, survival, and societal expectations can slowly disconnect us from our authentic selves.

He shares his own experience moving to New York as a young artist, where the demands of making ends meet became a distraction from his deeper calling. For 30 years, he balanced work and creativity while learning that purpose is not about eliminating distractions—it’s about continually returning to what matters most.

Purpose Is Not Your Career

One of the episode’s most important distinctions is that purpose is not synonymous with career or profession.

Jerry explains that purpose can express itself through many different paths. If part of your purpose is to serve others, there are countless ways that service may show up in your life and work.

The real question becomes: Are you fulfilled at the level of purpose? Does your life bring you joy, meaning, and connection?

This insight also sheds light on why many people struggle with retirement—because they’ve mistaken their identity or career achievements for their deeper purpose.

Listening to Your Inner Voice

Jerry describes purpose as something recognized through intuition rather than intellect. It cannot be figured out mentally or analytically. Purpose emerges when we quiet the external noise and listen inwardly.

He encourages listeners to reconnect with the things they naturally loved as children—the wonder, curiosity, creativity, and adventure that once came so effortlessly. Often, those early passions hold clues to our deepest calling.

Trust, Presence, and the Practice of Listening

A central theme throughout the conversation is trust—learning to trust what feels true for you.

Jerry emphasizes that trust is a practice cultivated through presence, awareness, and embodiment. Our bodies often know before our minds do, and learning to listen to gut intuition becomes an essential part of living purposefully.

Soul’s Work, Meditation, and Awakening

Jerry introduces the idea of “soul’s work”—living in alignment with the deeper essence that is always present within us.

He and Lynn discuss meditation and the challenge of the “monkey mind.” Rather than trying to eliminate thoughts, the practice is to notice them and let them pass.

Some of the methods they explore include:

• Meditation
• Sitting quietly
• Becoming aware of the body and surroundings
• Creating intentional space for listening

Jerry encourages listeners to ask themselves one powerful question: “Is there more?” And as he explains, the answer is always yes.

Purpose Is an Expression of Love

Another powerful takeaway from this episode is the idea that purpose is not performative, performance-based, comparable or not enough. It’s about expression of love.

The episode highlights inspiring examples of people living their purpose, including:

• Lynn and Jerry’s father expressing purpose through music
• Jerry’s mentor transforming lives through service
• Dr. Bob Sanet’s dedication to teaching up until his final days (his podcast episode is here)

Technique and skill matter but they are not the same as authentic expression.

Jerry Fishman’s Soul Purpose

Jerry closes by sharing his own soul purpose of bringing people together in community, helping others recognize they belong, empowering others and leaving the world better than he found it

He also discusses his “Awakening Purpose” destination retreats and his work as Manager for Global Outreach with I Am Humanity.

This episode is a heartfelt invitation to stop performing life—and start living from what is most true within you.

About Jerry Fishman:

Jerry Fishman is a lifelong creator, performer, and transformational leader devoted to helping people live aligned with their deepest purpose.

At 22, he moved to New York City—already a seasoned professional performer since the age of 15—to pursue his calling. Over the next three decades, he built a dynamic career as a singer, actor, dancer, director, choreographer, music director, and writer, working across stage, film, and television. Highlights include performing nationwide in the Pulitzer Prize–winning musical A Chorus Line and collaborating with acclaimed artists across the U.S.

He co-wrote and performed an environmental theatre adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s The Music Cure at New York’s Algonquin Hotel—an immersive experience blending classical wit with contemporary expression.

As founder of Kilroy Productions, Jerry created original work performed Off-Broadway and internationally. He later founded Kilroy Production Music Studios, mentoring hundreds of students in both musical mastery and authentic self-expression.

In 2011, Jerry transitioned into transformational leadership, leading advanced programs for over a decade and guiding thousands of individuals to discover new possibilities in their lives, relationships, and sense of self.

Now, as the founder of Living on Purpose, Jerry creates immersive retreats, online clinics and special-ized purpose coaching environments where people reconnect with who they truly are—so their lives be-come an expression of their soul’s work.

Connect with Jerry Fishman:

Website: https://mylife-purpose.com

Cape Cod | August 29 – September 4

A 6-day immersive experience designed to help you reconnect with your deepest purpose, trust your inner voice, and begin building a life aligned with who you truly are.

This is not a workshop where you’re given answers—it’s an experience where you discover your own.

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