Have you ever asked yourself why in the world you volunteered for something?
Once upon a time there was a guy who found incredible joy in a simple activity. He loved riding his bike. He felt more freedom and peace while cranking along than in anything else he did.
So the guy decided to turn his passion into a project that would serve others.
Everything went great. His friends were incredibly supportive, and the project grew into more than he could have imagined.
But then something strange began to happen. The project involved a whole bunch of details and processes that had little to do with riding the bike. It was all good stuff, but suddenly he was spending much of his time on tasks demanded by the project.
And one day he realized that he didn’t have time to ride his bike. He was so busy doing stuff for his bike riding project that he felt guilty taking time to ride. He found himself spending less and less time riding and feeling like he had to cut his workouts short. He began to see bike riding as an obligation. He had to train so the project would succeed; he couldn’t let all those people down.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault. Good intentions and a big vision had overtaken his simple passion.
So he went out one morning and just rode for fun. He reminded himself why the whole thing started in the first place. Beneath all the plans and details and arrangements was something so simple—he wanted to ride his bike.
The project was still important. The goals mattered. He appreciated and respected all the folks who were trying to help. He wanted to do his best to make the project a huge success.
But he realized that the heart of the project mattered, too. If he lost that, if riding became only a job, then the project would lose its soul.
How about you?
Has something like this happened to you? You begin with an activity that brings out your passion and joy, but you push it to the point that it’s no fun anymore?
I think this happens a lot when we volunteer to do something we love. Suddenly we’re buried in a system and we forget what we loved that led us to get involved in the first place.
The systems and processes and details are part of life. No worthwhile endeavor is always fun and games.
But don’t lose the simple joy that got you there. Don’t forget to retain the sense of passion that inspired you in the first place.
I’m going for a ride this morning. I’m training, and it’s important to ride well.
But I’m going to have fun and enjoy the ride.
That’s important, too.
What’s the simple passion you might need to rediscover?
You can leave a comment here.
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