Is the popular “pursue your passion” directive over-rated? – SCN Encourager

Is your inner passion really the key motivator?

Tough questions, for sure.

It’s too bad I’ve got to make my response speedy-kwik.

On the sly even.

Because if Cindy found out I was delving into the topic of feelings, desires, and passions… the teasing around here would be non-stop.

Merciless.

But Drew Houston, the founder of Dropbox said something quite interesting about pursuit of our passions during an MIT Commencement speech.

And it caught my attention.

So much so – I knew I’d have to rev up my courage and risk potential humiliation on the home front to share it with you.

Houston believes must of us are actually kinda “fuzzy” about our real passions.

Of course, he’s not talking about our passions for our family members and loved one.

He’s referring to the unique personal passions we have for our own interests, preferences, and “what we do.”

He said we often talk about being “passionate about this” or “passionate about that” – and may even recommend to others that they “pursue their passion” – without having any real sense clarity or definition about our own passion at all.

[And directly to this point, if Cindy tagged me as Exhibit A she wouldn’t be wrong.]

But Houston offered a way for us to prune the purple haze of our various passions by asking a simple question:

What’s your tennis ball?  

What are you willing to chase… bring back home… and chase again if you have to?

There’s your passion.

Only now it’s clarified.

And if you’re still not sure, ask yourself this.

What tennis ball – and remember Houston is not talking about the special loved ones in your life – are you willing to chase regardless of who is throwing it?

Houston’s perspective is worth pondering, don’tcha think?

And once I’m done writing this Encourager from the dark of my basement, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – –