PASSION!!
In our line of work we must hear or read this word many times in a single day. Our lives are built around striving toward pursuing our passions, but do you ever stop to think that the word might be a little overused, and thereby lose its power? I decided to take a minute and really ponder what true passion is, after hearing a definition recently that I’d never heard before.
1. Passion:
from the Latin verb patior, meaning to suffer or to endure
Take a second a think about what you are most passionate about. It might be a cause, your family, your opportunity, your dream, your why, or something else. It might be many things. Are you more passionate about some than others? Is there ONE single thing that you are so deeply emotional about it brings you to tears to think about it? Are you willing to do almost anything for it? That is the one you are TRULY passionate about.
The reason I say this is because is because, I used to think of passion in these terms:
2. pas·sion/ˈpaSHən/
“A Strong and barely controllable emotion”.
“A state or outburst of such emotion”.
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That is another perfectly acceptable definition.
Which of these two is the one that gets more done in this world, completion of goals and fruition of dreams? The first or the second? I would venture to say number one! Why? Because true and real unadulterated passion as you now know it, is about a willingness to suffer, endure to the end, sacrifice. (my addition).
Imagine if you went about your passions now with this meaning in mind. It is not a negative connotation. It is not about suffering itself. It’s about the willingness to! We all have things in our lives that mean the very most to us, that we go the extra mile for, spend extra money, stay after work, donate our talents, and give beyond what’s expected just because we want to, not for any other reason. We are willing to sacrifice, even if it hurts, takes away from us or causes us more work.
For most of us it’s part of WHO WE ARE. It’s hard wired in. As mothers and fathers, we would jump in front of a train to save our child. We will go to the ends of the earth before we will see them suffer, and sometimes that can be a bad thing when they need to learn a hard lesson. Just being you, many times testifies to your inner passion and what you are willing to do for your cause or dream. People see it in your character, and are attracted to this about you. Passion is a very beautiful quality.
Sac·ri·fice
1.”Sacrifice of one’s personal interests or well-being for the sake of others or for a cause. 2.“To forfeit something for something else considered to have a greater value.”
Now think about both the definitions of passion and sacrifice, and apply them to your WHY, or the driving reason you are with your current opportunity. Can you apply both definitions to your WHY?
Are you willing to suffer and endure for the thing that drives you? Perhaps the opportunity itself, can you say 100% that you are deeply passionate (by this definition) about it?
Are you willing to sacrifice time and money, work harder than you ever have, and perhaps give up many things you enjoy to get to your goal?
If you can say YES to both of these questions…congratulations! You really ARE Passionate! You’re not just “Bursting with uncontrollable emotion!!!”
An example of this:
When Larry and I got engaged, we had spent 2 and a half years working together in a network marketing company and discovered we had many of the same dreams and goals. We went to a park one day and wrote them out to 100 in a notebook. We wrote the things that we were most passionate about. As I look back these really were the things we were willing to SUFFER for!! We made a pact that day that no matter what happened, we would achieve our dreams together, and have a blast doing it. We said even if we had hard times we would have each other. We went to work and became #1 in the network marketing company we were in at the time. As we went along we began to check things off the list, and now 10 years later, more than 90% of the goals are complete. We surpassed some of the income goals, and saw miracles in our family life that we did not know were possible…because we were willing to endure, and yes suffer. PASSION is the ONLY word FOR US!!
So think about your own goals, that I HOPE you have written down. Take a look at each one, and decide right away which ones are things you’d like to have, which ones you’d LOVE to have, and which ones, YOU MUST HAVE. The latter are the ones you should be working on asap!! I would be willing to bet that you’re not only willing to suffer for them, but you’re very committed, and emotionally invested!
What if you don’t have a goal like that? It could explain why you could be stuck in your business.
Something to think about.
Always here for YOU
Laura Morris
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This week’s Guest Blogger Shanna Maretsky, is my beautiful daughter! She is a mother of a 5 year old son Hunter, and is a full time college student in the field of Respiratory Therapy, graduating in February 2011. Shanna has endured many obstacles as well as personal triumphs as a single mom, mastering 
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