Friday, February 2, 2018

What to Do When Your "Why" Gets Tested


Long ago, I discovered your “why” for doing anything will likely be tested, especially the longer you do it. It can happen for any number of reasons. For my friend, it was clear he’d evolved a great deal and what he valued in life had too. He was still working hard towards a dream that no longer lined up with the new self he’d spent years cultivating.

I had a similar experience years ago. For years when ambling through the aisles of my favorite bookstores (remember those?) I’d invariably find myself thumbing through books on Brando, Dean, and Stanislavsky.
Then, almost inexplicably, I found myself reaching for biographies on King, Kennedy, and Mandela. My outlook on the world was changing and as a result so were the ways I wanted to spend my time.
At first, I was filled with excitement about this transition in my life. It felt like a rebirth; an opportunity to learn something new about myself and how I might, in whatever infinitesimal way, contribute to the world.
But my new motivation was also accompanied by a sense of angst. I’d been on one path so long the thought of veering even slightly left or right scared me a great deal.
It wasn’t until I started to look outside myself that I stumbled on some type of clarity, however fleeting.
I found trying to somehow mitigate the troubles of others took my mind of my own. Being of service as a teacher, or volunteer re-awakened something within and illuminated what was most important in my life.
New experiences gave me the grace and courage to forge another path, while not completely abandoning the one I was on.
My interests could co-exist so long as I prioritized them based on the values and principles I felt were most important.

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