Ever since I was young, I've had a difficult time answering the question "What is your passion?" Finally at 32, I have an answer. The reason this question has plagued me is because I am a passionate person at my core. What is passion? I am going to be cliche for a minute and post the definition.
PASSION - a strong feeling of enthusiasm or excitement for something or about doing something
For me, it's not worth doing unless I am passionate about it. If I lose my enthusiasm then it's time to move on. However, there are five passions in my life that have never waned and they are:
- MUSIC - When I was four years old, Saturday mornings weren't wasted on silly cartoons. It was what came after them that captivated my attention, Soul Train! Later that afternoon, you could find me in my dance studio (under the dining room table) preparing for my performances. I would slip those jellies on my little feet and perform to an audience of 30+ stuffed animals. They loved to hear me sing to Michael Jackson, The Beach Boys and Starship.
- PHOTOGRAPHY - My earliest memory of being a photographer was at five years old. My brother was born that year and he made the perfect model. My mom tells me that my passion for photography started at four years old. Apparently, I kept stealing her camera so she bought me my very own indestructible yellow Kodak camera.
- BUSINESS - What little girl's favorite movie is Secret To My Success starring Michael J. Fox? This girl's! Yes, I had a crush on Michael J. Fox. (My little brother's name is Alex for a reason. Yep, Family Ties.) After watching this movie, all I wanted to be was a CEO. At 10 years old I wrote my very first business plan for a summer camp.
- SUCCESS - Mine or someone else's. Not many things make me cry (not even my own wedding) but turn on a singing competition where someone is realizing their dreams and I turn to mush. The reason I am in the music industry is because I have a passion for helping people succeed and reach their dreams.
- TRAVEL - We traveled (and moved) quite often when I was growing up. We lived all over the south while my mom's family lived in Florida and my dad's in Virginia. New surroundings were exciting and I loved to discover new-to-me things. This still holds true today. I have visited 4 countries and 14 US states. Plans to increase this number significantly are in the works.
So, if I combined all these passions then my ideal career would be a photographer that traveled the country shooting new bands. If you combined all your passions, what would be your ideal career move?