Pursuing Your Passion
July 15, 2008 | calendar, community, mentoring, ministry life, quotes
Tomorrow I will speak at a Leadership Conference and I’m pumped! The topic is Pursuing Your Passion: Doing What You Love w/o Thought to Money, Fame, or Kudos!
Passion is a watered-down word that is used to describe everything from realationships to Godiva chocolate to our career choices. It’s a great word, but what does it really mean?
I’m passionate about writing.
Really? That’s awesome. What if I asked you to write a 100,000 word book on the joy of calculus? Is it still true?
Writing is only the vehicle for your passion. Your passion is what makes you, “you”!
One summer I worked in 100 degree heat with a team of medical personnel in Brazil on a short-term missions trip. My job station was at the eye chart exam.
Earlier that day people streamed down the Amazon in crude canoes and boats, sliding by crocs and pirahna to receive a pair of eye glasses. Men held out their treasures — broken and cracked eyeglasses that were the wrong prescription, perhaps handed down by a friend or family member. When new lenses were placed on their face, I wanted to dance at the joy on their face as green leaves came in to view, or as they were able to pick out small type in a book for the first time.
We worked tirelessly. But as the days went by there was tension in the group. One person got on another’s nerves. One was optimistic, encouraging. Another had a ”get-em-in-get-em-out” methods that grated on others’.
We were different, but the reality was that our strengths worked together very well. We balanced each other out. One’s gift might be administration or service, while another encouraged the tired, hungry, thirsty people waiting in line.
We were a good team. We had to step back and reassess, and understand that we are all different–for a reason.
Pursuing my passion doesn’t mean that I try to be something I am not.
It is exhausting to be inauthentic. Anne Morrow, author
It is your unique voice. It is you.
What gets in the way of pursuing your passion? We’ll talk more about that tomorrow. I have a long to-do list to chew through to get ready for the conference, but I look forward to hanging out with you tomorrow.
Today I blogged for Gifted For Leadership [Christianity Today magazine]. The topic is “Service Outside the Pew“, a post about mentoring teens. Check it out if you like. Suz
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I wish I could come hear you speak on this topic.
I consider myself a passionate person, but when you say to pursue your passion it makes me have to think what is it I want to pursue. Good question!!
I hope you have a wonderful time and your words speak their hearts.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:33 pmWhat am I passionate about? God, my family, chocolate. And I like being me. I am working on finding my writing voice and making myself come through.
Thanks for visiting my blog!!!
July 16th, 2008 at 5:24 pmLove the title of your presentation and I sure would like to hear it! I don’t know if you remember me, but I helped out for a short while at your book table at She Speaks on the first day. I’ve heard so many wonderful things from people who attended your the coffee house session and heard you speak. I look forward to reading more here on your blog.
July 16th, 2008 at 6:41 pmGreat title, but how does one find out what her passion is before pursuing?
July 28th, 2008 at 2:40 am