Follow Your Passion, Discover Your WHY, and Find Your Purpose

"Allow your passion to become your purpose and it will one day become your profession."

"But your profession is not what brings home your paycheck - Your profession is what you were put on Earth to do with such passion and such intensity that it becomes a spiritual calling." (translated from ancient Latin)

            - Two Quotes by Gabby Bernstein and Virgil respectively

These two quotes by Gabby Bernstein and Virgil respectively were found when I was researching for quotes with the terms "passion" and "calling" in them.  I found these two quotes that were developed nearly 2000 years apart from each other but I thought went perfectly together to create a concise phrase on how achieving goals in life works. These helped me better answer a question received today in an interview as well. 

The reason I did this search is because I had difficulty answering what many may think is an easy question, "Why did I serve in the Navy?" This was a great question that got me thinking a little deeper as I did not have a canned answer immediately ready. I actually said, " I don't know, I just knew I should. It was more of a calling than a decision to look for a job after high school. The only decision was how I was going to serve and in what capacity." I guess that was my answer and perhaps the very fuel that I needed to be able to get accepted into the Naval Academy, graduate, get to and through SEAL Training and get to serve my country from ages 18-30 in some capacity. It was more of a calling and having to explain it further was not something I could do. So, I looked for inspiration to help me better explain the process of following your passion, discovering your WHY, and finding your purpose.

Both writers (Gabby and Virgil) have found ways to reach people and give meaning to life by embracing what truly living really means.  Virgil also wrote, "Death twitches my ear. “Live,” he says; “I am coming." Meaning do not waste ayour time on Earth, while Gabby works to “turn fear into faith, to stop chasing life and truly live.”.

• Virgil was a poet that gave philosophical meaning to his writings while modern day Gabby Bernstein is a best selling author, podcaster, and teaches a holistic approach to spirituality and helping peole deal with addiction and other obstacles that keep us from being the best version of ourselves. For the candidate, student, or person with a dream, these quotes can help you realize that some life goals are greater than just getting a job. Following a passion can lead to fulfillment in life that creates health, happiness, contentment, and satisfaction. From quotes like these you may gain an understanding that service to others, your community, or country is more of a spiritual calling than just a job when applied to your own desire to serve. 

Here's how this applies to us and achieving goals no matter what the goals are or where you are in life:

• For many who read my articles at StewSmithFitness.com or Military.com, they are in the process of preparing for such a call to service. Having that burning desire in your heart and mind where you cannot stop thinking about it is what I would call "passion". If you are constantly reading and researching more about your future goals, training hard, studying hard to prepare for the journey that you have to endure, you need to understand how deep this call to serve can drive you. Passion is the WHY you want to do something that may not be easily explained but can be seen by how you conduct yourself throughout this journey of preparation.
  
  

  Passion can: 

• help you keep going when you are tired and unmotivated to move another step.
• help you find the fuel when the tank is empty when the days turn into night and the work is not done yet.
• be the driving force of performing that task at your best, done on time, and exceeds the standards set for you when you are tasked with a job to do. 
• help you achieve something great when "exceeding the standard IS the standard" is something you live by passionately.
• be that force that helps you start over again even when fail along this journey.
• be the energy you need to Never Give Up! 

Passion is the driving force of both motivation and discipline that sees every dream to completion. If you cannot stop thinking about - don't stop working for it. 

So, let's put this into action:

Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this or want to do this?" Knowing your WHY is important. Even if you cannot perfectly verbalize it, realizing it is a passion and the force that keeps you awake at night is all you need at first. But when the struggles begin, failure seeps in, and you are starting to lose confidence in yourself, being able to verbalize your WHY in your head with a solid answer is just as important.  

This Is Important... 

If you're one of the aspiring candidates with a dream who is sincere about wanting to really make this work for you, do yourself a favor and check out this article titled, "The Moment of Truth."  It is about how there will be a moment during your journey when your WILL will be tested.

You have to ask yourself, "How bad do you want it?" and you have to have an answer for "Why are you doing this to yourself?"  when you are struggling with the day to day chalenges and even failures along this journey. Knowing how deep this goes into your soul will help you have a solid answer to when that voice in your head says to quit or take the easy way out. One of my favorite reminders is "Don't listen to yourself - Talk to Yourself" and stay focused with positive self talk. This makes it easier for you to be a more motivated and disciplined person with confidence you're on the right path. 

Some more of my favorite quotes by Virgil are the following:

Fortune sides with him who dares. (Fortunes Favors the Bold)

They can because they think they can. 

Come what may, all bad fortune is to be conquered by endurance. 

And Gabby sums it up well with another quote: 

“It's the journey that matters, not the destination”.

I often say fitness is a journey, not a destination as well, but so is life. It is all about finding your passion, enduring the challenge, and making things happen no matter what obstacle is in your way. When you are passionate about something you find a way to go around it, over it, through it, under it and keep moving. Just keep moving. When you look back on your accomplishment, you will treasure the journey that got you to your destination just as much as the destination. 

What is YOUR calling? 

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