During my Pursuit of Passion, my plan was to focus my energy on trying to find passionate people, interview them, and then do their passion to document the experience. A familiar phrase started ringing in my ear “everyone has a story.” This exact saying has held true as some of the most profound comments and conversations on my journey so far have come from sparking conversations with pretty much anyone I can talk with.
So as I am sitting in a Starbucks, somewhere in San Antonio, I am having an engaging conversation with a bubbly, passionate, energetic, and beautiful human being. Her name is Kaylan Marie, she is a midwest girl from Illinois, a former Fighting Illini, and although young, she has traveled the world, tried new things, lived in several places, and is currently working to pursue her passions.
We spent a couple hours talking and we shared stories of our entrepreneur experiences/visions, work history, love connections gained/lost, sporting heroics (the only person I have ever met that was MVP of a team and was not the star), and our passions. Towards the end of the conversation she said something that sparked the reason for me writing this blog.
Kaylan stated that when she is looking at new experiences, she often puts them into two categories –
What do I lose by committing and following through
&
What do I gain by committing and following through
As soon as she said this, I was like HOLD UP! Please repeat that–
She said when she looks at her life, relationships, jobs, and passions she tries to look at it in both of these categories. What does it really look like to commit to something and become an expert at it. When you commit there is a sacrifice, but a depth that can come from that commitment. At the same time, what do I lose by committing to something, experiences and new opportunities.
As we continued to talk, it was like a light bulb went off in her head. She stated that she believes that she wants to be committed to something that shapes her values and her morals. For her, it is her faith and her love for God and Jesus Christ. This commitment provides her stability and it allows her to realize that even if something else breaks or a commitment is altered, she still has that value that she is committed too.
When Kaylan left, I went to my car and just sat there for an hour thinking of my own life. I believe in my life I have experienced both sides of the spectrum. I have committed and I have lost and I have committed and I have gained. I believe that weighing the options moving forward can have a profound impact on the direction of my journey. What will I gain or lose by this commitment during my pursuit and how will impact my short term and my long term aspects of my life and my happiness.
Sit and think about this next time you are making a decision about what to do and I guarantee that you will have some deep thoughts that can point you in the right direction.
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