Think about it...do you live with passion?
Thought-provoking question, right? Even though I chose to start this blog by asking you to answer that question, I think in order to do so, you have to understand what passion means.
Without going to dictionary.com or typing it into Google, what does passion mean to you?
For me, passion means that I am focused, committed and emotionally connected to it, whatever the "it" is. If I am passionate about something, I'm 100% in love with it, and would make any sacrifice in the world for it.
Think about that for a minute...
If that's actually true, and that is what being passionate means, one can really only be passionate about two to three things. Any more than that, and you can't be focused, you can't be committed.
At STS, our third core value is "Live with Passion." That stands next to our other core values which are "Create Constant WOW Experiences" and "Change Lives."
So, when you get down to it, we want to live with passion by changing the lives of others through constant WOW experiences.
Why do I bring this up?
What are you truly passionate about?
What are the things that you absolutely love, that you'll make any sacrifice in the world to see, to protect, to feel and experience?
Passion is what gets you out of bed at 4:30 am.
Passion is what gets you through the long hours.
Passion is what brings you up when everything or everyone is bringing you down.
Now, this is a fitness and nutrition blog, so how does this all connect?
I know that 99% of people that exercise are not passionate about it.
And that's ok.
However, if you're going to be successful in truly changing your life to be a healthier version of you, you must connect with your underlying passion.
Because when faced with a hard decision, passion will get you through it.
When you don't want to go to the gym, passion will get you through it.
When you really want to eat that ice cream, passion will get you though it.
As I mentioned, I know that passion unto itself is probably not the driver that gets you through the gym doors or helps you make a healthy eating choice vs. that ice cream.
So how you do you connect the two?
Let's walk through a couple examples:
My passion is to change lives. Honest to God. I know that's why I was put on this earth, and that's what gets me out of bed in the morning.
I change lives through three ways. That's it. But these three are what I LIVE for.
- Staff development & leadership
- Client coaching
- Teaching
How does that tie back to me being passionate about eating healthy and going to the gym?
If I eat like crap, I won't be energetic enough to lead my team, work with clients, and teach. If I make poor choices, I'm not "walking the walk" and I'm not setting a good example for my clients and my staff.
Same with exercise. If I don't exercise regularly, I won't have the energy to deliver over-the-top experiences for my team and my clients. Again, I'm not walking the walk.
Ultimately, if I don't exercise and eat healthy, I won't be around as long as possible and/or able to live with passion and change lives. And I don't want that.
Exercise and healthy eating are the fuels I use in my vehicle called PASSION.
Ok, to bring this closer to home for you.
What's your passion? Maybe it's a sport, maybe it's a dream job (the one that you know you were put on this earth to do!). Maybe it's your family or even your dog. Take a second and answer the question in your head.
Let's go with family.
You're passionate about your family. You love your family with all your heart. You'll do anything for your family. Your family is what gets you out of bed in the morning. They're what make the long days worth it.
You're passionate about your family.
Now, let's connect that to exercise and eating healthy.
You may not be passionate about those two things, but they can be the fuel to feed your true passion, your FAMILY.
Do you want to be around to see your grandkids? Better exercise and eat healthy.
Do you want to have the energy to go for a hike, keep up with your kids as they ski better each year, or want to take on a weekend biking trip? Better exercise and eat healthy.
Do you want to set an example for your family, lead them? Better exercise and eat healthy.
I'm not asking you to be passionate about exercising and eating healthy.
If you are, great. It will be that much easier to make the right choices.
However, for most people most of the time, it's a chore.
What I am asking you to do, is to find your passion.
Find what wakes you up in the morning.
Find what bring you to your knees when you see it.
That's your passion. Grab it and hold onto it for the rest of your life!
And remember, to keep fire in the engine of what you're passionate about, you need the right fuel. Fuel can come in many ways, but the best fuels I know are eating healthy and exercising.
Live with Passion.
~Doug Spurling