How to Act On Your Passion—Liz Pryor

by Liz Pryor

Behind every chunk of greatness we experience in life lies the passion we had to do it. The word itself, passion, is one of the most expressive in the English language, because the experience of its definition is just that potent. Its reach is as infinite as it is inexplicable. And clearly it is from this one base place where most of our journeys that really matter in life begin.

My mother used to tell me passion is a gift that is not bestowed upon everyone. If you have it, don’t forget to notice you’re one of the lucky ones. If and when we really know we have it, once it’s embedded in what feels like the fiber of who we are, then we can begin the art of making it active; for most people, it is not easy.

As a society it does appear we’ve become entirely fixated on shortcuts to everything, from a flat stomach to a perfect marriage to learning the meaning of life. We’re looking for the 3-easy-steps, the 5-golden-rules, the 10-golden-keys that will open the door to the things we yearn to be, to do, and to become. The truth is, few things in life that really matter ever arrive fast or easily. The moment we accept that fact is the moment the view on what we’re going to do and who we can become can begin.

Putting what we love and want to do in life together with the action to make it happen has entirely to do with how well we know ourselves. That’s right, how well we know ourselves. To have the courage to look within and learn where we really stand on the scale of things that put all together, can become the recipe for our meaning, is a brave and essential task. Determination, optimism, forgiveness, confidence, humility, tenacity, all of the broad general characteristics we already know we need to have in place feed off each other, but begin with our ability to access them.

Sit down and initiate learning yourself. Begin with finding the faith you need to have…whatever and wherever you can find it, do it. And then cover the ground floor of who you are with it. All of what you need comes from the same place inside of you. Much like the ruby slippers in the The Wizard of Oz. She had them the whole time, she just didn’t know she could use them. Go ahead and learn yourself, your passion is waiting to move.

“Good Morning America’s“ brand new advice guru and 2011 Texas Conference for Women speaker Liz Pryor has become a modern-day Dear Abby. She is the author of “What Did I Do Wrong? When Women Don’t Tell Each Other the Friendship Is Over,” and writes a weekly online column at ABCnews.com and her own “Dear Liz” page for advice seekers. www.lizpryor.com http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/