There has been much written over the last week related to the tragedy during the Boston Marathon and now we grieve over the explosion in Texas that has claimed many more lives.
I was not directly impacted by either of these events, and I will not begin to suggest I know what the victims are going through, but these events both remind me of how little control we have over the time we get here on earth.
Everyone deserves a chance to live out what they are passionate about. I don’t know much about the one’s that were taken from us this week. Only the stories shared through the media have given me a glimpse into what made up their lives.
This I do know however, everyone on this planet is passionate about something and the days we are blessed to be here should be spent living out that passion.
There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. – Nelson Mandela
We don’t know when that day will come and I think so many of us play way to small. We play like the game will go on as long as we like. We play like we can make a comeback in the 4th quarter or get the hit we need to win in the 9th inning.
I recently listened to ESPN analyst and National Champion Coach Lou Holtz talk about winning. I will be honest, I have never been a big Lou Holtz fan. Nothing really bad to say, I just prefer some over others, but as I listened to him speak for about an hour, his passion for what he believed in really impressed me.
His ideas about winning were not about the final score. They were about how you play the game. Now I know that is a little cliche, but the passion he described was about the journey and not the destination. His idea of a win was about “What’s Important Now.”
Holtz went on to describe his three laws for life:
- Do what’s right
- Do everything to the best of your ability with the time allotted.
- Show people you care.
I don’t think you can do these things without passion. He also talked about dreams. For me, dreams, passion and purpose are so closely related that sometimes it is hard for me to think any of them can exist without the other two. Holtz suggested that dreams are related to the following:
- Something to do
- Someone to love
- Someone to believe in
- Something to hope for
Again, how do we accomplish living the dream without being passionate about living it? Being passionate about something is thinking big. I think I spent too much of my life playing small. In fact, I think there were times when I didn’t even know what game I was playing.
But now I know what I am passionate about, I know my purpose and most importantly, I am living out my dream. Now I’m playing big and as long as I am here on this earth and am able, I will continue to fulfill my purpose of building what matters – people!
Holtz caught my attention right away with this question that I leave you with to consider. Wherever you are and whatever you do, “if you didn’t show up tomorrow, who would miss you and why?”
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 4/19/13 photo by author
Very touching post, Barry. I woke up a few weeks ago with this same thought on my mind; what IS my legacy? Not what WILL BE my legacy, but really, what if I didn’t show up TODAY, who would miss me, and even more importantly, WHY? Maybe it’s because I’m closer, today, to the ‘9th Inning’ or the’4th Quarter’ than ever before – but really, isn’t that true for everyone, no matter how long we’ve been on the planet? We must make each moment count, and each moment MATTER – and build a life that matters. “Building what matters” must be our daily, moment by moment, activity.
Thank you so much Susan. I appreciate that you bring legacy into the discussion and how you are living it out now. Many believe that legacy is what you leave behind. I think you and I agree, it is something you create while we are here. Thanks for the added value.
Not all passions are good. Serial killers, stalkers, and some anti social conduct is driven by passions (emotions) too. And some emotion (passions) of some deviant creatures deserve to be suppressed.
Well said. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Visiting from UBC.
Thanks for the support Emelie.
Super awesome post barry! We truly have to take time to be thankful for life! thanks for sharing!
Being thankful for life will determine what you get out of it. Thanks for the insight Martin.
Barry,
You have touched me and impressed upon me ideas I hadn’t thought of, very recently in fact, but this?
THIS IS THE POINT.
Is it not?
I feel too, for all those we have lost, that most of us will never know, never learn from, laugh with or have any idea what THEY dreamed of, worried about, thought about….
I am angry that there are some who feel it is their own right to destroy, maim, traumatize or demoralize with their actions…
But I am also strengthened and uplifted by those that remain. Those who see the Path and who are doing everything they can, to lead others to it. To enlighten and guide us all to a better way.
I wanted to say that, to you, now, after reading this, you HAVE made a difference to the people, to me, after reading your insights in your words.
I would miss having you in my life.
Wow Amber-Lee! I can’t tell you how much your words mean to me. I just watched the pre-game events (on tv) that took place in Fenway Park before the Boston Red Sox Game. I hope there will be a video floating around out there – definitely many people in Boston right now that see the Path. Thanks for the thought provoking post packed with so much meaning.
What a wonderful post, Barry. And you’re right about dreams and passion being intertwined. I’ve always dreamed of being a writer and I am passionate about writing; if I stopped writing today, I would stop being me.
Thank you for that quote by Nelson Mandela.
Thanks Sharon. Don’t ever stop being who you are!
Not sure what to write because I am deep in thought. I shared on my FB Wall and on Twitter.
Barry said, “We don’t know when that day will come and I think so many of us play way to small. We play like the game will go on as long as we like. We play like we can make a comeback in the 4th quarter or get the hit we need to win in the 9th inning.” BRILLIANT
Thanks Sabrina. Nothing could be a greater reward than this post helping others to start playing big. I think we all have a lot to offer and way too many of us never take the opportunity to share it.