We often see posts about how finding meaning in life requires pursuing our inmost passion. There is truth in that. But there is also a cost.
For many people their foremost passion is simple: Providing for themselves and their family. Perhaps these people are the most fortunate. But for a lot of the rest of us, contentment must be found in achievement, creation, and doing good for others. We have gifts and talents that we are driven to develop for the benefit of others. — Certainly, artists, actors, singers, athletes, business builders, teachers, nurses, doctors, police, firemen, and military veterans are among this group. And almost all of them have stories about the struggle, hardships, heartbreaks, and loneliness they encountered along their ways.
I have my story too. I have always been impulsively driven to do my best at whatever task I am doing. In my youth, whatever class I was in at school or athletic team I joined, I worked harder than my peers and pursued the top grade and first place medals. I was never content with being a part of the pack. A pioneer spirit possessed me. I preferred being a leader, rather than a follower.
In college, I considered being a professor, a soccer player, or a pastor. And I accomplished each of those goals. I thoroughly enjoyed doing each of those things. They certainly enhanced my life and gave it meaning. But they were not enough. I needed to do more.
Ever since 5th grade, when I was instructed to write a poem, I was enthralled with writing and literature. I read and wrote voraciously. By my teen years, I had a weekly article in two of my hometown newspapers. And in college, I wrote passionate poetry that I performed in restaurants and musical venues. — My dream was to become a successful, published author. — And since, I have published a half dozen books and thousands of articles. But I have never generated a living income from being an author. I created a commercial cleaning business for that purpose. However, the true calling for my life had not yet been discovered.
Soon after I ‘retired’ in San Diego, in my 60’s, a US Marine who had been injured in Iraq knocked on my door looking for work to earn extra money to pay his young family’s bills. My heart went out to him because I had been there in my life when I was his age too. — After he left, I began creating a free job board for other residents in San Diego to use to hire local US Military, and Veterans when they needed help with chores around their homes, yards, or businesses. That website exploded and became ranked in the top 1% in the world! And I became well known throughout San Diego. I was always on local TV and radio and giving speeches. — I became a premier US Military Veterans advocate.
In the past 20 years, driven by the passion to assist as many Veterans as I can, I have done well. And I am continuing to seek to do even better. You can see the results of my endeavors on PatrioticHearts.org.
Lastly, none of the above was easy. I have failed as many times as I have succeeded. I have been stabbed in the back and robbed by partners, I have gone bankrupt, and even lived on the streets in a broken down RV for a few years. I have known poverty and wealth. — I think all of these experiences were inevitable. Many people like myself who are always motivated to do more, to do better, and to be the best go through hard times. It has not been an easy road. But it is the only road for me!
