Remembering Your Passion

Winter has a way of creating lethargic and sometimes depressing feelings. It seems harder to get out of bed in the morning, harder to enjoy work and harder to feel passionate about what each day entails. While ‘momma said there’d be days like this’, perhaps you’ve been struggling for a while with ‘rekindling’ your passion for your job, school, family, etc.

Passion is what drives every action of our day. It is what gives us the ability to fulfill dreams and reach goals. Without passion, life becomes a mindless, wandering journey without purpose or aim. John Maxwell says, “A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position.”

What are you passionate about? Can you remember what drives your everyday actions?

If you’re struggling with remembering your passions, try this exercise. Grab two pieces of paper and on the first piece of paper, take ten minutes to answer the question, “What do I want to contribute to this world before I die?” Just keep on writing for those ten minutes, as many ideas and answers to that question. Then, after the first ten minutes is up, take the next ten minutes and, on the second piece of paper, prioritize what you have written on the first piece of paper, listing in order the things that are most important for you to contribute before you die.

This exercise can bring great clarity and a reminder of what you are passionate about. If the things on your list that you desire to do are not matching up with what you are currently working towards in your everyday life, consider what a life full of passion might look like.

Alvin Smith, a defensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns is quoted as saying, “Football is a game that’s played with intensity and passion. If your opponent determines how hard you’re going to play in the game, then you’re in the wrong sport.”

Don’t let an opponent or outside force determine how you will live life. Find out what gives you passion and pursue it.

What are you passionate about doing before you die? Let us know in the comments section.