Do What You Love

Paint Night - I love to paint

Francis Ford Copella one said, "Do what you love because you will be better at it."  The causation of  this statement is the impetus to put in extra time because you love it.

How do we find out what we love?  That would seem to be the burning questions on everyone's mind.  A little bit like walking into a room and everyone shouts simultaneously, "Surprise!" What is the next steps on this quest for discovery, albeit self discover that often can be tempered with disdain and procrastination.  Often we do not like to look into the mirror and self -reflect but that is about to change.  Think for a moment about the following questions Jim Collins, author and entrepreneur advocates in his book, "Good to Great,"

• What are you deeply passionate about?
• What drive your economic engine?
• What you can be the best in the world at?

These concentric circle are interwoven and are interdependent of each other. Collins calls this mapping, "Three circles of the Hedgehog Concept.   There is I am sure speculation on how these questions affect you.  Simply put it is an understanding of yourself and what you can be the best at.  It is moving from mediocrity or competence to finding your true calling in life - what you are born to do! In other words it has been mentioned many times, "Find your passion, understand it fully, realize it as a means that you are driven to do only those activities that create the passion.

With a map in hand, how to we find direction. This is where self reflection should be indulged.  eEarlier in the week while watching a brief video lecture by Tom Kelley,  with IDEO, an epiphany occurred when he said, "Experiment of your life" not Experiment with your Life."  The majority of us have spent our time since childhood experimenting, discovering what we love.  Although the empirical method was used we did not stop to take notes of our self observations. 

Let me shed some albeit, at this point dim light, on the meaning I am trying to inference.  In earlier blogs day dreams, dreams of our childhood are important but somehow in our development get lost by the way side with less than remarkable debris of life.  In our child like state we take on every sport, activity, music, song, dance, art, creative function possible as a means, without thinking, to determine what we like the most.   Do you recall the enigmatic statements from your parents requesting you to hurry up and make up your mind.   Of course you couldn't decide as that was completely foreign thinking in your mind. 

The epiphany is no different than what you experienced in your youth, the only exception is that you get to record how you feel.  Meaning making your life a literal experiment as a means to discover what you love the most. 

If you need a tangible example then  start with this suggestion. Go online today and book a paint night for yourself and someone you would like to take on this journey.  The tools you will need on this exploration and research event are a simple composition note book and  a pen to write down notes.   As you whole heartedly participate,   "Did I feel at my best during this moment.  What was I feeling?  Was I motivated, happy, elated, driven during this moment?" Record your results without analyzing it to greatly, be present to the moment to the NOW.

Next create a bucket list of the top 10 activities you have always wanted to do. Taking the time to do this is a means to go back and dust of the dreams we left in the debris. Our dreams as many as there are, can be the best source of our inner passion that is untapped undiscovered.   Plan and prepare at least three achievable bucket list items.  Certainly there is is not an admonition here to give up everything and go out and get crazy.  It has to be reasonable, attainable for your circumstances.  Before leaving on your new adventure, as cumbersome it may feel, don't forget to pack your composition book and pen.  In time and reflection of those events in your writings, you will find a veritable gold mine of truth and learning.  You will find what you love and can be best at.  Take a chance because what do have to loose.

In retrospect based on recent experiences this week to find your true calling, what you love to do it takes takes guts, courage, patience, and your voice. A voice that helps you to seek out openings that might not otherwise surface unless there is action and pushing past your fear.  Actions that will inevitably deconstruct and decommission that fear.  Feeling  at your best in your life experiment and recording it brings to the table a phenomenal experience that is highly recommended, a moment you shall never forget. Much like meeting a celebrity for the first time, or achieving a long overdue goal that joy can be lasting.  The challenge at this juncture is do you want mediocrity or joy from getting paid to do what you love.  Read Good to Great and you will see a whole new world open up to you.  My world opened up on my paint night what will happen on yours?