Where Only Passion Goes
Usually, if we ask the question, “What’s in it for me?,” we’re asking someone else. Perhaps they want something from us - something we wouldn’t be inclined to provide without a reward. Ultimately, we end up debating whether to deny our internal enthusiasm for an external stimulus.
It’s a dangerous proposition. We can only go as far as the external stimulus can drive us, and yet, the further we go, the more unfamiliar the person in the mirror becomes.
But what if we asked ourselves, “What’s in it for me?”
If we were the only ones responsible for our compensation, we’d take on the jobs that pay in the currencies we can afford: fulfillment, joy, peace, gratification, contentment, and so on.
Now, with a little more joy and fulfillment in our bank accounts, what would we be able to afford, then? If we’re lucky, we’d find ourselves in a flywheel, harnessing what’s inside of us to brave increasingly higher heights, prospering our souls all the more in the process. Now that’s my kind of dangerous!
The ‘how’ and ‘if’ and ‘where’ about the summit is beside the point. The more important question to consider is, what are you compelled to do, regardless of whether there was any summit at all?
My guess is, something awesome! :)
10 years ago, I began conceptualizing a spreadsheet to keep track of my incomes and expenses. It was entirely uncompelling and unuseful for anyone but me. But for me, it was a nice brain break from university studies, and messing with it each week was bettering my financial clarity and peace.
At that time, that’s all it was and that’s all it hoped to be! :D And it was worth it for just that.
This week, BudgetForLife is releasing a subscription service for its growing user base. What??? My budget spreadsheet from college??
I never imagined it would come this far. But even if I did, I would never have made it this far to find out! Ha! 10 years is a long time to work for free, and this subscription milestone would not have been a strong enough external incentive to pull me through it.
Thankfully, I wasn’t working for free. I’ve been paid handsomely in joy, peace, fulfillment, contentment .. and so on :)