by Judy M McCutcheon MBA
Passion and purpose, these are two very important and necessary ingredients for my journey through life. I believe if whatever you are doing does not make you happy, then it’s not worth doing.
I resigned from a job that held great promises for me, because doing that job and working with some of the people I worked with at the time brought me more dark days, than bright ones. Too many of us are doing jobs or are in careers that bring us no joy; we simply go through the paces because it pays the bills. We all have special gifts and talents. However, only a few use those gifts and talents to live life to its fullest. Bundling your gifts and talents with your personal purpose can not only lead to a satisfying, fulfilling and financially lucrative career but also a life full of great experiences.
So many people go to work every day feeling dissatisfied and unhappy with the work they do, it’s almost as if they are stuck in a rut unable to climb out, but there is a choice, we always have a choice. You may be thinking “I have my family to feed; what am I supposed to do?” As one reader, commented on my last article, that to achieve the things that I’m suggesting, people will have to eat grass; but that’s the kind of thinking that keeps us forever in a downward spiral. We can all achieve success because success looks different to each of us. An abundant and happy life is not only for a chosen few, yes, I agree that some of us were born into wealth, but they could easily squander that wealth, by simply making a decision to do so. It’s the same with the rest of us; we can decide that there is more to life than living month to month or going to a job we don’t enjoy, with people we dislike. I am not suggesting that you walk off your job without an alternative, what I am suggesting is that you make a decision to have a more fulfilling life and take steps in that direction. The issue most of us would have is taking the steps necessary to make our lives better.
Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who complained that life isn’t fair and that the universe is conspiring against them? Did you notice that every suggestion you gave to them that would help to enhance their situation, would be met with an objection as to why what you are suggesting will not work? That’s because it requires some purposeful action on their part. People seem quite happy to sit around feeling sorry for themselves or going onto social media and getting involved in other people’s lives or situations that do not serve them in any way. We seem to be better at talking and complaining, rather than doing. Resigning my job was the best thing to have happened to me in terms of a career move. Don’t get me wrong I was nervous, but I used that nervous energy to push me toward what I wanted to do most – help in the development of people.
Starting my business was scary and exciting at the same time, scary because we all have a level of fear of the unknown, and exciting since this business will allow me to live my passion with purpose. When You find your passion, you can use it to create your own business or find a job that aligns with your purpose. The idea is to start by defining what a successful, happy life would look like for you. This is not about what others may think; it’s about what you want for your life. Once you have a firm idea of where you want to go, then you are now ready to take the necessary steps to get there. In our current economic climate, we work harder, play less and generally forget the reason why we strive to be successful in the first place – to enjoy life experiences. We must be willing to confront our fears to find out what drives us, and where our passion lies.
For me, helping others achieve is the forefront of everything I do. It’s about providing support, passing on knowledge, helping others always to give their best, and inspiring others to live purposely and with passion. You can give your best to others only when you live your passion purposely; without true passion, it becomes nearly impossible to reach your full potential. Attempting to live with passion and purpose without clearly stated goals is folly. Therefore it is equally important to have clearly defined goals and dedicate yourself 100% to the achievement of those goals. It is critical to remember that we all have passion and purpose in our lives, but some action is required on our part for activation.
Judy McCutcheon is a partner in the firm Go Blue Inc, a Human Development Company. www.goblueinc.net
