Lately, I’ve been reveling all up in that gift. I feel like a pre-pubescent pre-teen without the peer pressure and pimples.
I possess a renewed spirit of joy and zest for life…not afraid to try new things and never too busy to make time for play.
If you have young children, nieces or nephews, or students you know that one of their main goals is to be entertained at all times. Whenever I plan to spend time with my six year old nephew, Lil’ Ron, I ask him what he’d like to do. His answer is always consistent. “I want to go to the toy store.” He is focused on that goal. His answer never changes.
When I’m just coming over for a visit he is certain that I came for a specific reason…not to spend time with my brother or my mother, or to just get away from the city and relax at their place…No. He is confident that I came to visit solely to play with him. He knows what he wants. He knows what brings him joy. He pursues it relentlessly….and guess what? We almost always give in and let him have his way!
Imagine if we all applied that childlike passion to that thing that we love…toward our purpose. Imagine yourself truly believing in miracles and the impossible when it comes to that business that you run or have always wanted to start. Imagine yourself relentlessly pursuing that project, that goal, your education or your ministry. There are several lessons to be learned here.
1. Know where you want to go. - If you called my nephew right this moment and asked him where he wanted to go, I guarantee that he’d say, “The Toy Store”. Know where it is that you want to go. Have a clear vision, remain focused on it and never give up on that until you get it. Be confident, consistent and unafraid to let those who may want to help you get there know how they can be of assistance.
2. Know what you want to do. – One of my favorite quotes says, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” This is what often happens when we don’t know what we want to do. It’s perfectly fine to try out many things, but eventually we must make up our mind about what it is that we want to do. If we flip flop all of the time, or spread ourselves too thin, nothing will get the attention that it deserves. Now that you’ve identified where you want to go, make sure you know what you want to do to get there.
3. Know what you love. – As life happens we have a tendency to forget or abandon what we love. I also often see people get so wrapped up in the lives of the people that they care for that they take on the things that that person loves as their own. I remember times in life where I’ve had to stop and say, “What a minute, what’s my favorite color? What’s my favorite food? What do I enjoy doing? What do I love?” When we know what we love, we often make it a priority to do what we have to in order to keep that person, place or thing at the forefront of our lives. Once we do that, joy follows.
4. Know what you’ve got. – This one may seem a little shallow compared to others, but trust me…it’s the stone cold truth. Know what you’ve got…and work it! My nephew knows that he is super cute. He has the look, the squeaky little voice, the sense of humor, and the personality and you best believe that he uses every bit of it to his advantage. He knows what makes us laugh or smile. He pays attention to what makes us react. He takes note of the things that don’t work and he stops doing them. Take a moment to take inventory of what you’ve got. It may be a natural charm, a heartwarming smile, quick wit, creativity or a knack for fashion…whatever the case may be…Know it…Own it…and Work it!
Once you’ve identified all of these things, use them to pursue your goals relentlessly! Think back and tap into your inner child. Once you’ve done that, let your imagination, creativity, passion for play and fearlessness guide you on the path to joy and the realization of your dreams.
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