Passion – Push Through The Pain

I am sure there is a goal that you are passionate about. Something that you are pursuing with all of your heart.

What is it? Is it your business? The relationship of your dreams?  Weight loss?

Most people think that passion is just enthusiasm for what you are doing, and it is that, but there is more to it. Even though you focus on what what you love, it does not mean it is always going to be without challenge. The word passion originated in the 12th Century, originally used by Christian Scholars who were describing the suffering of Christ. Passion is more than just love; it is willing suffering for something that you love. It is when the feeling in your heart supersedes the challenge that lies in front of you.

A family friend recently went through major surgery where he received a kidney transplant because his body had rejected his own. He explained to me that until a few years ago, when a kidney transplant took place it was much harder on the person giving the kidney than the one receiving it. That is great passion; to be willing to suffer for someone you love. Passion doesn’t mean it won’t be painful, it just means you love it enough to push through the pain.

I remember learning what passion was all about from my father.

When I was nine years old, I decided to run in a race in our community. It was a couple of miles and for the majority of the race I was battling for first place with another boy. As we got toward the end, there was a big hill and I was getting extremely tired. The other boy started to pull away from me and I began to think that it was over. Just when I mentally gave up hope, my Dad came up and began running next to me and said, “Ty, you need to give it all you have and catch that boy.” I was exhausted and muttered, “I can’t, it’s too painful.” My Dad looked me in the eye and said, “Push through the pain! If I can keep up with you, you aren’t running fast enough!” I was inspired. I kicked in and finished the race with all the energy I could come up with, and it was just enough to pass the other boy right before the finish line.

It was really great to have done so well in the race but the thing I remember more is on the walk home as my Dad and I talked. He told me he was proud of me and then he taught me an important lesson. He said, “Ty, you will be successful in whatever you decide to do in life, because you have learned to push through the pain.”

My good friend John Assaraf is fond of saying, “When you are intersted, you do what is convenient. When you are committed, you do whatever it takes.”  In the pursuit of your goals, at times it will be painful. Success is on the other side of the pain.

Just push through with passion!