What Drives You?

(My first post and I'm slightly nervous haha)

Mediocrity is a stale, sullen word that lacks any significance or interest (it doesn’t even roll off your tongue, nor does it possess any spicy accents). As a result, it is a fitting word for a fitting state of mind. Mediocrity, after all, is a state of mind. Everyone can be great. Some people have natural, God given talent. Others lack that talent. But, as it has been said before and I’ll say again, greatness requires hard work. Not all the natural talent in the world can account for human laziness. 

Those who are skilled in their chosen field typically are driven internally. They excel within their chosen and respective fields, mainly because it is their passions. It is difficult to display mastery within a particular field in which you lack passion. However, when one is passionate about that particular field, they are driven and highly motivated. This is immediately recognized by the personal excellence that is displayed, which is the result of hours of training, practice, sweat, blood, and tears (the result of a labour of love). To be passionate about something, to work hard at something and make brutal sacrifices, and to be optimistically enveloped by something becomes a display of love. 

It has been said that love and hate are interchangeable emotions. Both are powerful emotions, and coincidentally, both are powerful motivators. To excel at a particular field, one must be driven by love. The love of the sport. The love for music. The love for lifting, fighting, training, writing, reading...the list goes on. To love your field, you never go through the motions. Each stroke of the pen, each word sung or spoken, each movement executed is a display of commitment and an expression of the passionate soul. 

I have a high degree of respect for those who are willing to admit to themselves that they lack passion and love for a particular field, and are willing to find their passions and commit to change. To be great, one must love their field, and be willing to admit and concede to their self that they simply do not enjoy what they do. To be great, one must find their passions in life, and follow them. Only then will they be able to express their soul and possess that true inner drive that will eliminate mediocrity. 

 I urge everyone to follow and commit to his or her passions. Finding what one loves in life is essential, and the resulting journey, the resulting pursuit of happiness is often an amazing journey. My question is....What Drives You?

Sifu Joe Harrigan