The Element: Are You Accomplishing Anything?

Twitter Summary: You feel accomplished when doing something that matters to you. Often we settle for doing things for security instead of things we love.

Principle

Ken Robinson’s book, The Element, makes you consider the value of what you’re accomplishing in your life.  He says, “..it’s difficult to feel accomplished when you’re not accomplishing something that matters to you.”

Robinson explains how fear in all of its variations is the greatest obstacle to finding your personal “element.”  And by “element” Robinson means, when the things we are passionate about become the things we are good at.

That fear is represented as a fear of failure, not being good enough, fear of disapproval, poverty, and just fear of the unknown.  These all tend to be the most significant obstacle to finding our “element.”

So as a result of fear, we settle.  We settle for doing less than what we love and being less than who we really are.  And that means usually becoming good at something that doesn’t necessarily fall inline with our passions.  Most people find professions and careers that provide the most security, financially or otherwise, and there’s nothing totally wrong with that.  However,  Robinson points out, “…the fact is that the average office worker probably does have more financial security than the average trumpet player.  But it’s difficult to feel accomplished when you’re not accomplishing something that matters to you.  Doing something ‘for your own good’ is rarely for your own good if it causes you to be less than who you really are.”

Making Connections

I walked by a building this year in Washington, D.C. and watched as droves of people walked into it during the early morning hours.  Everyone was hunkered into their coats, noses buried into their chests to avoid the cold, dark drab color clothing did nothing to improve the overall sense of depression emanating from the mouth of this building that seemed to not only eat the people, but their spirits as they walked in to start their work day.

At that moment an interesting image came to mind.  I imagined the dreams each person had of greatness as they grew up and that the majority of these dreams were set aside because of fear.  Most commonly, fear of poverty or instability.  Their job would “look good on a resume” or help “get your foot in the door” so you could then move on to do other things.  All the while, likely not doing what you love.

As the people walked in, I imagined they left their dreams and self-respect at the foot of the door and trampled them.  The pile got bigger and bigger, the building kept eating the people and the dreams, and people kept trying their hardest to get into the building – fearful that they wouldn’t be able to get in and all of this scrambling at the cost of their dreams.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  There were likely some who really wanted to be at that job and had dreamt about it their whole life.  But I’m going to make a bet, and I feel pretty safe with this, most of them would rather have been somewhere else doing something else with their lives.

So ask yourself, what do I do on a regular basis that sacrifices my passions and self-respect out of fear and a desire for “financial security.”  Is there some metaphoric building eating my soul and dreams on a regular basis?

So What?

You and I both are likely sacrificing our self-respect and passions, in some regard, on a regular basis due to fear.  So this week, make an effort to remember the things you loved/love to do, but felt you had to give it up for whatever fear-based reason.

Dust off the old trumpet, break out your paints and canvas, put on your old running shoes, get out some tools, or whatever it is you love to do and take back your soul.  Resurrect and regain your spirit.  Remember who you wanted to be when you first realized your passions.  Because if you do, I promise you, you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment and worth because you’re doing something that matters to you.

Next Weeks Post: Comments about how too many people leave their schooling without feeling good at or prepared for anything.  Maybe that’s a contributing factor to why there’s such a high rate of educated people who are unemployed right now.