| by Amy Potavin
I bet that you do not know the name of the man who said,
"The happiness of a man in this life does not
consist in the
absence but in the mastery of his passions." That man was
Alfred Lord Tennyson, and the statement is very true, for there
has never, in the history of humanity, been any discovery,
innovation, or creation that was not first a spark of passion,
curiosity, or devotion. Truly, the manifestation and realization
of such discoveries, creations, and innovations is nothing more
than the mastery of the creators’ passions.
"Passion" from the Latin Passus literally means,
"to suffer." This all-consuming desire to be and to do
is vitally important to success, for it is the source from which
the successful person must draw his or her inspiration. Remember
that everyone who succeeds in life typically gets off to a bad
start initially. They pass through many heartbreaking struggles
before they "arrive" at "success." They
literally SUFFER for not having achieved their passion. The
turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at
the very moment of crisis, when they must choose to follow their
passion or surrender to mediocrity. Would you rather live your
life’s purpose and become the person you were meant to be or
remain locked in a lifestyle of tolerance and indifference, merely
existing from one day to the next?
Without passion, you will never be inspired to act. Without
action, you will never manifest your vision; and therefore, you
will NEVER be successful! To truly live in a paradigm of conscious
choice, a paradigm where you know your beliefs, your purpose, your
goals, and you CHOOSE to act on them, then you must know that
which stirs YOUR heart. This is crucial if you are truly going to
create the reality you desire; a lifestyle built on your
preferences and your goals.
Further, you must recognize that designing and creating the
life that you choose requires that you first discover the purposes
for behaving the way that you do. If you act without purpose, then
you are likely to create a lifestyle that is hit or miss, a
lifestyle that wanders about, and is based on old habits and
reactions to circumstances, rather than creation. Inevitably, this
eliminates the potential for success, as the truly successful
consistently work toward the achievement of their vision.
Therefore, to genuinely create the lifestyle that you choose,
you must face each challenge, each encounter, with purposeful
choices. You must reprogram your thinking to "act"
rather than "re-act" and to choose solutions and actions
that are directed toward the realistic goals of your vision that
are workable in your everyday world. Find your purpose, and you
will find your passion! Find your passion, and you will HAVE your
vision!
So, what can you do, today, that will point you toward your
passion, your purpose? You can begin by defining you vision and
creating your own personal mission statement.
1. Allocate some time alone. You need to allow yourself space
and time to think, reflect, and evaluate.
2. Select an important question from the list below, or use a
powerful question of your own. Be sure that the question you
choose has deep, personal meaning for you and causes your heart to
stir.
What motivates me?
If money were not the object, what would I do?
What energizes me?
If I had no responsibilities other than myself, what would my
future look like?
What brings me the most joy, pleasure or satisfaction?
If I had only three months to live, what would I do during that
time?
What is it that I REALLY want in life?
3. Once you have chosen your question, isolate yourself. Quiet you
mind. Take several deep, cleansing breaths and ask the question of
yourself. Allow the answers to bubble up through your intuition.
Do not force them or search them out. Wait… Be patient… Ask
the question again after a few minutes. Know that the answers will
come! The answers are yours; they have always been yours; and they
have always been within you!
4. Over time, ask all of these questions; but ask the questions
one at a time. Record your answers in a journal or notebook. Give
yourself permission to take a break between these sessions.
Self-reflection can be hard work, and any progress is good
progress! Congratulate yourself for work well done!
5. Once you have responded to the questions, consolidate your
responses. Look for patterns or themes. These patterns and themes
will become your personal mission statement. Share your responses
with a coach or mentor so that you can merge his or her
perceptions with your own. This is vitally important, as this will
serve to establish your vision and affirm your purpose.
Having a mission statement will center your actions on the
goals that YOU choose and on the lifestyle that YOU select. It
will lead to your ability to direct your effort toward these
goals, rather than wasting effort on things that do not meet your
needs and your vision and that do lead to success. This is your
first step toward creating success and toward purposeful living.
Only one question remains. Are you ready to begin?
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