What is your passion?

Find your passion!

Pursue your passion!

I’ve been doing some thinking on my “passion” lately. It is a hot topic and gets a lot of air time these days, you know.

If we could just find that elusive passion and pursue the heck out of it… we would surely be living in rose petals, basking in success, and rolling around in feelings of fulfillment.

This somehow comes with the idea that in order for an activity to be worthy of the title “passion” it must be able to provide some rewards… whether financial gain, or notoriety, or simply for the good of mankind.

A challenging idea to contrast this thinking is the notion that we can find fulfillment and enjoyment from activities that speak to us… regardless of whether they fall into those above categories.

I enjoy writing. I can find enjoyment in the art of writing and sharing that writing no matter if it is appreciated by the masses or not. Regardless if I receive comments from the naysayers and poo poo-ers.

It goes back to my purpose for writing.  Am I writing for others or for myself? For the enjoyment and enrichment it brings to my life?

This idea is tricky to me as a Christ follower. I know that there are crucial issues in this world. Things that matter, and things that don’t. I also know that God wants us to enjoy this world He created for us to live in. He gave us our interests and talents, and it’s okay if we want to do something just for the pleasure it brings us. Even if it’s not feeding the poor or reaching the sinner.

Something else I enjoy is decorating our home… on the cheap no less. It brings me joy to make our home beautiful. Am I ever going to have a home the likes of some of my favorite home bloggers?

Negative.

Nope.

Not going to happen.

Does that mean I should stop trying? Or never share our home and my attempts to make it marvelous?

I say no.

I just finished reading a book that has brought on all these deep thoughts.

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.

She is WAY OUT THERE on some things. I will readily admit that, but she is on point on this issue: Stop requiring so much out of your passions or interests. Stop expecting them to pay the bills.

What type of creativity brings you joy? Whatever it is… do it. Do it and do it some more. Just because you like it. Don’t expect it to always be awesome or that others will love it. They might hate it. It might get crickets.

But remember you are creating for yourself. Not for them. You are creating for what it gives you through the process.

And in the end, you are better for the experience.

I appreciate Gilbert’s idea that we should not accept our creative gifts to pay the bills. That expectation creates an enormous pressure which, of course, is counterproductive to creativity itself.

I am a type A perfectionist so this is contrary to my normal thinking. If you can’t be awesome at something then what is the point right? How much more enjoyable would our lives be though, if we chose to stop focusing on the outcomes and judging our efforts by their results?

The only criteria then for whether an creative endeavor is worthy of our pursuit is…

Does this bring me joy?

What do you think? Do you agree with pursing your interests even if you’re not terribly good at them?