Mission = Passion: The Way Forward

Spurred by one of the central tenets of The Minimalists, "...finding and living your passion...", a little crystal of continuity and truth became clear to me today.  I'd like to share it.

The idea of passion -- not the steamy bedroom type, but rather, that which burns inside of each of us to live more fully, more completely, more earnestly -- has been central to my life journey since I was a young man.  It would be fair to say that I've searched to identify and nurture that passion all of my adult life.  

But it's been hit and miss, at best.  

However, when I connect the idea of "mission" to "passion", it becomes more evident:  how to find it, how to build it, grow it, LIVE it.  I've been close sometimes, have had times of great synchronicity, but have also had many more times of feeling I was sneaking around outside, but not IN, not doing what I felt I should be doing.

In business school I heard a lot about mission statement as a cornerstone of any start-up.  Define what you want your venture to be:  it will inform both within the organization and outside as well.   Good place to begin, for sure.  And not only for businesses is this a fine first step, but also for individuals, and couples too.

When my wife and I got married a few years back (and before our first child was born), we decided to draft a family mission statement, to define what was important to us, and to be used as a guide for our children, when they arrived.  We have the mission statement on our mantle, I have it on my lap top screen saver, and on my cubicle wall at work.  I read it daily, think about it, ponder what it really means.  

It goes like this:

"We are a family who lives simply, encourages each other to grow mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, and our priority is to maintain connection to ourselves, each other, God, and our community."

Today it hit me:  that mission statement is really born from my wife and my collective passion for what matters most in our lives.  It talks about our family, our faith, our friends, our desire to always be growing and trying to get better.   It DEFINES our passion.  And once defined, any goal is easier to work toward, to stay focused on, to LIVE.

So whatever your calling, whatever you feel stirs you inside, truly makes you happy, THAT is worth putting in words, in a couple of simple phrases, to define and make known to the world what you're about.   As an old Irish musician once said, "I believe in beginnings; the rest is inevitable."  So take the first step, the rest will follow.

Pros/Cons List for GOOD

Pros/Cons List for GOOD

Maintaining a good attitude is a daily, and often hourly endeavor.  

When you run up against something or someone that poses a threat to your positive thinking, jotting down (or thinking through) a quick pros/cons list can help you cope.

After all, the old adage, "people can say or act however they want, but how you respond to them is up to you" is a timeless truth.  

HOW YOU RESPOND TO OTHERS IS YOUR CHOICE.

Choose the high road, to the benefit of yourself and everyone around you.

Don’t let others derail you.

Make your list, scribbled on paper or in your head, decide how you feel about the situation, the other person, then let the situation pass and move on.

Everyone, first and foremost YOU, will be better off as a result.

True Grit: What it Gets You

(source: Derek Murphy)

Listening to the radio on the way to work recently, they were doing a piece on "true grit", defined for the discussion as Persistence, Determination and Resilience -- and a rise of said attitude in the context of education.  

They had me at the introduction when they mentioned John Wayne's film by the same name, "True Grit", about a teenage girl who partner's with Wayne's character to find her father's killer in the old west.  Great movie, great theme.  

The more I think about it, "grit" is one of those qualities want to do everything possible to instill in my kids. it's a trait that will serve them well throughout their lives.  What makes this trait an iron quality for life is that is not just for survival, but for happiness throughout our lives that we do well to be steeled against the inevitable adversities that life will deal us.

Webster's New World Dictionary (1971) defines grit as "stubborn courage; pluck."  These traits really get at the heart of what fuels the persistence, determination and resilience mentioned above as additional defining terms.  All these together describe a trait all of us would do well to identify and cultivate in ourselves as we go through life.  And the sooner the better.

After all, having determination, long-term fortitude, and the ability to bounce back from failures cause by our own doing or circumstances beyond our control are fundamental to successful...well...living!  

Consider educational situations when we're students trying to memorize multiplication tables, or learning how to play the piano, or stepping on the soccer pitch or baseball diamond to practice -- and there are countless other examples -- where if we have the traits mentioned above, if we have grit, we'll persevere through difficulties to improve, and maybe even succeed at our goal.  

Without that trait, without grit, we run the risk of mounting frustration, disappointment, and even diminished self-esteem as we struggle at any given task or objective.  And of course, when we enter the workforce as adults, having the grit to find a job, learn skills, seek promotion, develop professionally, makes ALL the difference.  

With the turbo-pace of work, how often people change jobs (either by choice or necessity),  the number of workers that are "1099" (contractors) versus "W-2" (full time employees with benefits), versus "laid-off and looking", it's clear that grit can help you cope with the stress and anxiety that comes from the uncertainty of today's work environment.

It starts early, developing the life skills to be resilient, focused, and just plain not-willing-to-give-up.  Whether it's learning to tie your shoes, graduating from high school, or finishing an advanced degree in night school while working full time, grit will help you be successful, and ultimately, a happier person.