The best way to describe passion is having an intense desire to be about and to accomplish a thing. You are not daunted by obstacles or opposition because you can see, taste, and envision the satisfying results.
For a while it may just be you and God. Others may not see the end goal, especially in the beginning, so you just have to keep going. Don’t worry, they’ll catch up (and catch on).
40-Forward BLESSers, the pursuit of passion should be part of your legacy. You should also be deliberate about building and supporting others’ passions. (Selah)
There is much that has been said about passion, and much that I could write about passion, but let’s unpack 5 Fs of passion.
1 – FASCINATION
Our passions often start out with a fascination/fondness for something. Something piques your interest and you simply want to know more about it. The more you learn, the more you want to learn. You really start to like, I dear say, love this “thing”.
It’s like when you see a child developing an affinity to singing, playing an instrument, always reading something, very talkative, doing well in a particular sport, and as they grow, these traits grow with them. Talk about passion in the making. Their passion may not align with your vision for their life, but what are you going to do? Support them of course!
Let’s flip the spotlight back to you … You have your mainstay – 9 to 5 – to sustain you, but on the side you have started gathering and preparing for your passion. Or could it be that your 9 to 5 is a stepping stone (part of the plan) for your passion pursuit?!
2 – FIXATION
After a while fascination turns into fixation. You are hooked! You have gotten lost – obsessed – with this “thing” (passion). Your every waking moment is taken up with it. An interest now evolves into a lifelong quest or pursuit. You are now laser focused on your passion.
3 – FIRE
Now you are really gathering momentum – you are cooking with gas (so to speak). The fire in your belly for your passion is so intense, those around you can feel it! The words of a poem that is a staple in the Jamaican education system comes to mind, “The heights of great men reach and kept, were not attained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward through the night.” That’s you with the fire that has been lit under your passion. Run with it!
4 – FERVOUR
Nothing, can stop you from pursuing your passion. Others around you can hardly keep up. They are wondering, “Where does (s)he get the energy to sustain the momentum?” Through the highs, the lows and all points in between, you have stuck to your passion.
You are so focused, you don’t see or hear those purpose blockers, naysayers, and haters. They are in your rearview mirror. “Yuh jus a push an guh tru” (Translated: You keep on going.)
As a matter of fact they are giving you more fuel to run and WIN with your passion.
5 – FUN
When you have passion for a thing no day seems like work, it is fun to you. You simply have a sense of joy doing what you do. Your idea of fun may be research or reading a book about your passion. It’s really your fervour and fondness that fuels your fun. By golly, you have fun all by yourself doing your “thing”. That’s passion.
We often don’t hear about the pain that comes with passion. You may lose some things in your quest for your passion – friendships, money, and sleep. Your heart is in it and so any negative blow to your passion, hits you hard. You sometimes have to deal with your hurt and disappointments alone.
You know I cannot end this post without a story…
If I should pick one person that demonstrates passion it would be my dear dad – Paps. He tells me about his Chestervale (young men training institution) experience all the time. (Rest assured Paps, your grandchildren will hear the stories). As a matter fact, for as long as I can remember, he has had his graduation certificate hung on the wall by his bed. At Chesterfield his passion was triggered – woodwork. According to his certificate this (along with farming) is where he really excelled.
When I tell you a man with a passion, that’s my Paps. He comes alive when anything related to woodwork is being discussed. I remember back in the day, times like this, Christmas, when everybody wanted to change out or refresh their furniture for the season, he would be gone for days on end. He slept on the board 🙂 by the shop and Mums brings him his sustenance.
He would say to me, with joy and laughter in his voice, “Daughter, when you sand, it must feel like a baby’s bottom.” My dears, that’s passion speaking.
When the big furniture stores started cranking out “cheap furniture” it got really rough. But, he never threw in the towel on his passion. He did what he had to do to keep on pursuing. Others tried to convince him to “try something else” but not Paps. He kept at it.
It was his good pleasure to pass on his passion to others. Go ask any of the young men on the corner.
Buying gifts for Paps is easy, anything that supports his woodwork passion.
If he is home, he takes out his “furniture books” (his prized possessions) and simply look through the pages. Or he sits and watch programmes on DIY and HGTV that features anything woodwork.
40-Forwarders, do you see the Fs in Paps’ story?
My dad has shown me what perseverance and “stickability” looks like – your passion is your Plan A, no matter what, stay the course. I knew that no matter what I wanted to be in life, Paps would be right there to support my passion! Thanks Daddy! 🙂
Now let’s hear from you. What are your passions? How have you pursued over the years? Do they align with any (or all) of the 5 Fs? Your insights and tips could help someone, so drop them in the Comments. And do SHARE this post.
