Passion

I was recently working through an introductory exercise with a potential client and asked, “What is it that you’re genuinely passionate about?”

There was a long pause as he thought, then he shrugged. “Not much. Honestly, I’m so burned out I don’t know if I care about anything anymore.” We talked a bit about that. He assured me he was processing this with his therapist. Wanting to shift the spotlight he said, “What about you? What’s your passion?” It was the first time I’d been asked that by a client so I took my time, wanting to be sure I answered honestly.

“First of all, I get what you’re saying. When lightbulbs burn out, the room grows dim. When enough burn out, everything goes to gray, then black. At the risk of beating a metaphor to death, you could say our passions are the lightbulbs that bring light and contrast to our life. So don’t worry if you can’t answer the question just yet. We’re going to try and turn the lights on for you one at a time.

“Now, to answer your question, I care about a lot of things. There are people in my life for whom I care deeply. I have several hobbies I really enjoy. I love long evenings with good friends, food, and conversation. I’m passionate about all those things. But I also care deeply about the work I do.

“I’m passionate about what I’m doing right now–guiding someone on their journey to a significant and satisfying next chapter. Seeing the lights come back on. Hearing someone speak about their life and their work again with wonder and joy.”

It was a good call. After we wrapped up, I asked myself if that was the right answer or the real answer. Was it what I should say or what I truly believed? Just a day or two later, a friend noticed that I hadn’t talked about Second Rodeo in a while, and he asked if I had lost my passion for it. It was a great question, much honest soul-searching ensued.

The fact that I’m telling you about this now means I worked through it and can stand by my answer. In fact, I’m doubling down.

I really believe this work matters. It’s why our tagline is “from success to significance.” This work feels deeply significant to me, and I feel significant when I can make a difference. I have a core belief that all human beings have an innate need for meaning and fulfillment. And many just aren’t finding it, at least where they are currently looking.

Every month, millions of people decide they’ve had enough, and join the massive game of musical chairs that many are calling The Great Resignation. The stats indicate that a lot of them find a different job pretty quickly. But not everyone finds a better job. Not everyone finds that place where their values and personalities are in synch with the workplace. Work that makes them feel alive. Satisfied. Significant. In a few months or years, they could be searching again.

Every year, millions retire because they are bored or burned out by their jobs. I’m convinced some retire just because they think they are supposed to. And many, many of these people will soon be just as bored by recreation and relaxation as they were at work.

On the other hand, I meet people who don’t even expect to find significance from their job. They are fine with a paycheck. In almost every case, it’s because their passion–the thing that brightens their world–is outside the workplace. When people pursue their passion for playing music, as an example, a light bulb pops on. When driving home after a Saturday serving at the animal shelter, the world looks a little brighter. Light may come from a long walk with your significant other, feeling blessed by all you have, not disturbed by what you don’t have.

I’ve lost count of the number of wealthy but miserable people I’ve met who are still committed to pursuing the success model. Despite abundant evidence to the contrary, some still seem convinced that one more purchase, one more acquisition will be the one to scratch that itch inside. These might create tiny, momentary flickers, but not enough light to fill the void.

So yeah, new client, this is what I’m most passionate about. Guiding others to discover (or rediscover) those things that give light to life. It’s this passion that drives me to read voraciously, to attend workshops and seminars that will sharpen my coaching skills. Every time I learn something new about my craft of coaching, I immediately think of individuals who will benefit.

If your life feels a bit dim these days, connect with me here. First call is free. Let’s work together to get the lights back on in your life.

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Originally published at https://www.yoursecondrodeo.com/blog