Today while shopping at a sporting good store I met a young man at least 30 years my junior. He worked in the shoe department and was extremely helpful.
My curiosity is such that I often inquire as to the length of one's employment, level of happiness with what are doing and what would they be doing if money were not an issue.
As it turns out, Bob (not his real name) had been with the company nearly a year. He was satisfied with his job but his passion was in art.
"If you could do either art or criminal justice, which would it be?"
Without any hesitation he beamed, "Art! But I know I just won't make it."
Wow! Not with that attitude.
"Bob. Can I make a recommendation?"
"Sure," he quietly responded.
"Go after your passion. Life is way too short to live day in day out wanting to follow your heart but failing to do so. When all is said and done, wouldn't you rather wake up each day feeling great about what's in store. Get the criminal justice degree if that will give you some security, but do something, anything, that makes you feel alive and honors your spirit and passion."
From his response, I could tell he had not had too many people talk to him like this. Chances are he had "wise adults" advising him to take the sure thing, the safe road, the security of a "real job". After all, art couldn't possibly be a real job. Bunk!
I went on to share stories about my sister who is a fine artist making a great living with her art. She is living her passion and lives each day in a high level of joy.
"Bob, there's really no limit to what you can do. You can create your own following. Whatever you are being told sounds like traditional thinking. The fact is, with the Internet and social media marketing, you can reach a global market."
I could sense his energy shifting. His look shifted from one of quiet desperation to one of hope as I shared a number of website addresses where he could get free information on how to market online.
The point of this posting is not to talk about Internet marketing. Rather, to talk about passion. The Internet is simply a means to an end in reaching
people with one's message whether it be through art, books, speaking, music, consulting, or anything that we are called to do.
As I was getting ready to leave the store I left Bob with one last thought. "People cross our paths for a reason. There is no mistake you and I connected today. Now it's completely up to you what comes next."
I have no idea whether or not Bob will decide to follow his dream of at least taking a shot at making a living with his art. All I know is if I would not have shared my thoughts with Bob I would not be honoring my passion; encouraging another to live their passion.
The fact is, we don't know what the future holds. We only have this moment. Although on an intellectual level we know this, we somehow forget it quite easily. The secret is to take the thought and have it drop about 12 inches right into our heart. When something is put on our heart we can't help but want to fulfill this calling.
Many people live in the space of fear. Fear that there are no guarantees we will succeed by following our heart.
The fact is, no one has any guarantees of how anything will turn out. But it is quite likely by not following our passion we are most assuredly guaranteed a life of quiet desperation.
Without taking risks we will never know what we are capable of.
It's not a matter of saying, "Someday I will follow my heart." Someday is today. It is now. Even if it's one little step you take to live your passion you are doing something. When you add up all the steps you can take in a month, six months, a year, or five, it's amazing what could happen.
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," Lao Tzu.
This holds true for anything. A song begins with the first note. A book with the first word. A piece of art with the first brush stroke.
What is your dream? Are you honoring your dream or buying into the story of security someone else made up.
There is no security in unhappiness, stress and illness; all a direct result of not living life to the fullest. When we are living fully we are happier, more relaxed and healthier. Not sure if this is true? Why not give it a shot. Do something every day that you are incredibly passionate about. Live life fully.
Play full out. Love deeply. Give it your all because when all is said and done, there are no "do overs." The story will have been written. Make it the greatest story ever told.
Without any hesitation he beamed, "Art! But I know I just won't make it."
Wow! Not with that attitude.
"Bob. Can I make a recommendation?"
"Sure," he quietly responded.
"Go after your passion. Life is way too short to live day in day out wanting to follow your heart but failing to do so. When all is said and done, wouldn't you rather wake up each day feeling great about what's in store. Get the criminal justice degree if that will give you some security, but do something, anything, that makes you feel alive and honors your spirit and passion."
From his response, I could tell he had not had too many people talk to him like this. Chances are he had "wise adults" advising him to take the sure thing, the safe road, the security of a "real job". After all, art couldn't possibly be a real job. Bunk!
I went on to share stories about my sister who is a fine artist making a great living with her art. She is living her passion and lives each day in a high level of joy.
"Bob, there's really no limit to what you can do. You can create your own following. Whatever you are being told sounds like traditional thinking. The fact is, with the Internet and social media marketing, you can reach a global market."
I could sense his energy shifting. His look shifted from one of quiet desperation to one of hope as I shared a number of website addresses where he could get free information on how to market online.
The point of this posting is not to talk about Internet marketing. Rather, to talk about passion. The Internet is simply a means to an end in reaching
people with one's message whether it be through art, books, speaking, music, consulting, or anything that we are called to do.
As I was getting ready to leave the store I left Bob with one last thought. "People cross our paths for a reason. There is no mistake you and I connected today. Now it's completely up to you what comes next."
I have no idea whether or not Bob will decide to follow his dream of at least taking a shot at making a living with his art. All I know is if I would not have shared my thoughts with Bob I would not be honoring my passion; encouraging another to live their passion.
The fact is, we don't know what the future holds. We only have this moment. Although on an intellectual level we know this, we somehow forget it quite easily. The secret is to take the thought and have it drop about 12 inches right into our heart. When something is put on our heart we can't help but want to fulfill this calling.
Many people live in the space of fear. Fear that there are no guarantees we will succeed by following our heart.
The fact is, no one has any guarantees of how anything will turn out. But it is quite likely by not following our passion we are most assuredly guaranteed a life of quiet desperation.
Without taking risks we will never know what we are capable of.
It's not a matter of saying, "Someday I will follow my heart." Someday is today. It is now. Even if it's one little step you take to live your passion you are doing something. When you add up all the steps you can take in a month, six months, a year, or five, it's amazing what could happen.
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step," Lao Tzu.
This holds true for anything. A song begins with the first note. A book with the first word. A piece of art with the first brush stroke.
What is your dream? Are you honoring your dream or buying into the story of security someone else made up.
There is no security in unhappiness, stress and illness; all a direct result of not living life to the fullest. When we are living fully we are happier, more relaxed and healthier. Not sure if this is true? Why not give it a shot. Do something every day that you are incredibly passionate about. Live life fully.
Play full out. Love deeply. Give it your all because when all is said and done, there are no "do overs." The story will have been written. Make it the greatest story ever told.
It's so interesting that you wrote this post Kathleen because I was wishing I could turn back - not to undo how I was living my passions and life path, rather to undo something I had created by not being fully present. While I believe everything happens for a reason that is in service to my growth, some situations have some challenging residue.
Great post my friend. For some folks who are not living their passion, I recommend visiting http://tinyurl.com/2ae6sea for a free Passion Test Profile by Janet & Chris Attwood, authors of the best-selling, Passion Test book.
Posted by: Lorraine Cohen | June 15, 2010 at 05:22 AM
Speaking out can be crucial for the motivator and the recipient, whether it entails uttering that one word: Go, or a lecture, speech or pep talk. Good piece Kathleen, came here from SheWrites.
Posted by: Judith van Praag | June 16, 2010 at 01:08 AM
I love this. I've recently read a quote that said we are not old until regrets take the place of dreams. Carlos Castaneda has also suggested in one of his book to take the path of the heart, for if we do it will go well, and if we don't we'll destroy it only to begin again. I like asking myself before embarking on anything including making decisions: does the path have heart?
Beth
Posted by: Beth Atchison | June 16, 2010 at 09:15 AM
Following our heart may seem risky. Nothing difficult is ever easy.
Posted by: Sandra Hendricks | June 16, 2010 at 04:38 PM