Shortly after I had the revelation of my design and purpose - to encourage men and women to be better than they've been and do more than they've done by defining their passion (design/purpose), then living it out, I had another revelation. I discovered that passion defined did not equate to passion activated.
Case in point, Jack. Jack's story is told in my new book, Be Known for Your DEEDS (available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com). Unlike me, Jack did not have to ask of the Lord why he is here. He knew as soon as I asked. Without hesitation or equivocation, Jack said his passion is movies. I asked if he wanted to act, direct, produce or what. His answer was D, none of the above.
Jack just loved watching movies. In theaters, on cable, VHS, DVD, Blu-Ray, it mattered not; he just loved watching movies. In response to my assertion that once passion is defined a person will either make a living from that passion, or have a job they enjoy which funds their passion, Jack said, "So how am I supposed to make a living from watching movies?"
I accepted the challenge, and said, "Become a professional movie critic." He scoffed at that suggestion, and then scoffed at my assertion that he could still be 'passion-employed' by contacting a local free newspaper, and offering to be their unpaid movie critic. I suspected that if a free paper had such a column it was most likely syndicated. How beneficial to end the syndication fee, and have local talent on the ground for free!
Jack wasn't interested. It took me a minute to process that. I had been excited beyond measure when my passion was defined! Here I am four years later blogging about it. Jack didn't believe a newspaper would do what I suggested (no call to check??), and besides why do something and not get paid? Call me old-fashioned, but isn't there room for enjoyment in life apart from monetary gain?
Sure there is! It's why we volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, coach our children's soccer team, learn to ski, go rock-climbing, buy a bicycle, jump out of a plane, or...watch movies! Hello!
So if your passion is defined - do something about it. It makes absolutely no sense to me that anyone could know their passion (design/purpose), and do nothing. Just cannot wrap my brain around that kind of indifference. It's not a hobby being contemplated it's the actual key to one's destiny and reason for being! Ah, well. You can lead a horse to water....
Fearlessly,
JD
Showing posts with label encourage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encourage. Show all posts
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
The Voice Inside
Last December I was blessed to encourage a combination of children, tweens, teens, and adults during one of my Fearless Speaker clinics. The primary message delivered that day was that our voice is important. As my audience learned that day the physical voice manifested through the interplay of diaphragm, vocal chords, lungs, and tongue is only the most obvious voice we possess.
Our inner voice, the one we define as the voice of our spirit, soul, or mind, is of singular importance. We may call it a still, small voice or a whisper of the mind, but let us never call it inconsequential, irrelevant, or unimportant. This is the voice of dreams, aspirations, and inspiration.
Most recently I followed this theme as a keynote in a business luncheon and encouraged the men and women in attendance to listen once again to that voice. It was just four years ago that I listened and set upon the life change I now celebrate every single day! My goal each day is to be better than I have been, and to do more than I have done.
Find that voice of your dreams. They can still come true. This is my testimony….
Fearlessly,
JD
Our inner voice, the one we define as the voice of our spirit, soul, or mind, is of singular importance. We may call it a still, small voice or a whisper of the mind, but let us never call it inconsequential, irrelevant, or unimportant. This is the voice of dreams, aspirations, and inspiration.
Most recently I followed this theme as a keynote in a business luncheon and encouraged the men and women in attendance to listen once again to that voice. It was just four years ago that I listened and set upon the life change I now celebrate every single day! My goal each day is to be better than I have been, and to do more than I have done.
Find that voice of your dreams. They can still come true. This is my testimony….
Fearlessly,
JD
The Fearless Speaker
In 2008 I was sitting in my Study at home when I asked the age old question, “Why am I here?” Have you ever wondered that very same thing? It seems to be a rhetorical question. After all haven’t we all contemplated our existence on this planet? Well I really wanted to know so I let the query run. By letting ‘the query run’ I mean that what I did not do was dismiss the question with a comment like, “Aw that’s crazy. Who can know such a thing?”
Ever been in a conversation when you and the person with whom you are speaking are trying to think of the name of a movie, an actor, a song, or whatever, and each of you are drawing a blank? I have been in that situation countless times. Invariably one of us says something to the affect, “I’ll probably think of it at two o’clock in the morning!” You both laugh and go on to another topic.
The computer between your ears, the human brain, continues to process that query, and sure enough a couple of days later you are enjoying lunch in a restaurant when the piece of information that had escaped you just pops into your mind! Then you call your friend, share the good news with them, and you both laugh again.
Well, I let the query ‘Why am I here’ continue to run. I did not dismiss it as an unanswerable question. Within days I began to get an unusual answer in the form of memories. Almost in chronological order memories of my having spoken to this group or that came back. It may have been as a child telling jokes to my parents’ friends, acting in a school play, performing on stage, or being a DJ at my college radio station, but there they all were.
It was a bit like the forest had been hidden by the trees. Of course I knew all about the dozens upon dozens of times I had spoken to an audience both informally and formally. I had simply regarded all those speaking opportunities as just the use of a gifting, but not as a life’s calling.
Having all of those ‘speaking’ memories arrive within days of the question, “Why am I here?” left me with no doubts I had received THE answer. I am here to speak. Okay, but what about? Here is where the answered question led to memories even more specific. My message would contain words of encouragement was the clear mandate and answer to the follow up.
Through the years I have been an encourager. I am naturally optimistic, and very often will approach people to whom I have never been introduced (you see, I have never met a stranger) to share a compliment, or otherwise say something positive.
With an answer to my simple but profound question in hand, I made the following decision: If I am on this planet to speak encouraging words to people then I will make doing so a life priority. Making it a life priority led me to determine that I would let nothing stand in the way of the simple objective to speak encouragement into the lives of as many people as possible. Therefore all doubts about my future path have been erased, and so too any fears about how to proceed.
I became The Fearless Speaker based upon this epiphany. Today, I assert to Event Planners, church leaders, speaker boards, and anyone else who hires or engages Speakers, that I will speak in any venue to any audience of any size at any time! I am The Fearless Speaker! My fearlessness is based upon the premise that my life’s message is one which men, women, and children need to hear.
We all need to be encouraged in who we are! This old world takes its toll on all of us. We get beat up daily by the cares of life, the drama of bills, bad jobs, poor relationships, and all the other nonsense that distracts from a peaceful life. Folks need to hear good news about themselves, and about their prospects for grabbing the brass ring of life.
How about you? Do you know why you are here on this rock we call Earth? If not then I strongly encourage you to find out the answer to this all-important question. Once you have made your discovery then be fearless in your determination to pursue your life’s purpose. It will enrich your life, and the lives of all those around you.
Fearlessly,
JD
Ever been in a conversation when you and the person with whom you are speaking are trying to think of the name of a movie, an actor, a song, or whatever, and each of you are drawing a blank? I have been in that situation countless times. Invariably one of us says something to the affect, “I’ll probably think of it at two o’clock in the morning!” You both laugh and go on to another topic.
The computer between your ears, the human brain, continues to process that query, and sure enough a couple of days later you are enjoying lunch in a restaurant when the piece of information that had escaped you just pops into your mind! Then you call your friend, share the good news with them, and you both laugh again.
Well, I let the query ‘Why am I here’ continue to run. I did not dismiss it as an unanswerable question. Within days I began to get an unusual answer in the form of memories. Almost in chronological order memories of my having spoken to this group or that came back. It may have been as a child telling jokes to my parents’ friends, acting in a school play, performing on stage, or being a DJ at my college radio station, but there they all were.
It was a bit like the forest had been hidden by the trees. Of course I knew all about the dozens upon dozens of times I had spoken to an audience both informally and formally. I had simply regarded all those speaking opportunities as just the use of a gifting, but not as a life’s calling.
Having all of those ‘speaking’ memories arrive within days of the question, “Why am I here?” left me with no doubts I had received THE answer. I am here to speak. Okay, but what about? Here is where the answered question led to memories even more specific. My message would contain words of encouragement was the clear mandate and answer to the follow up.
Through the years I have been an encourager. I am naturally optimistic, and very often will approach people to whom I have never been introduced (you see, I have never met a stranger) to share a compliment, or otherwise say something positive.
With an answer to my simple but profound question in hand, I made the following decision: If I am on this planet to speak encouraging words to people then I will make doing so a life priority. Making it a life priority led me to determine that I would let nothing stand in the way of the simple objective to speak encouragement into the lives of as many people as possible. Therefore all doubts about my future path have been erased, and so too any fears about how to proceed.
I became The Fearless Speaker based upon this epiphany. Today, I assert to Event Planners, church leaders, speaker boards, and anyone else who hires or engages Speakers, that I will speak in any venue to any audience of any size at any time! I am The Fearless Speaker! My fearlessness is based upon the premise that my life’s message is one which men, women, and children need to hear.
We all need to be encouraged in who we are! This old world takes its toll on all of us. We get beat up daily by the cares of life, the drama of bills, bad jobs, poor relationships, and all the other nonsense that distracts from a peaceful life. Folks need to hear good news about themselves, and about their prospects for grabbing the brass ring of life.
How about you? Do you know why you are here on this rock we call Earth? If not then I strongly encourage you to find out the answer to this all-important question. Once you have made your discovery then be fearless in your determination to pursue your life’s purpose. It will enrich your life, and the lives of all those around you.
Fearlessly,
JD
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