Doing anything worthwhile takes personal interest, time, and a level of commitment that proves the value. If the commitment isn’t there, value cannot be proved. If interest isn’t there, there will be no commitment. And if there is no time, how can you possibly get anything done? It boils down to setting the necessary time aside to fulfill commitment and maintain interest. It seems simple enough, but is it really?

I have a couple of different passions that require me to commit time, sometimes a pretty good chunk of time. One of them is writing. I write every day. I can honestly say that setting aside this time, committing to this endeavor has been one of the greatest things I could do for my career. A multitude of reasons exist that prove that statement.
· I have found clarity in what I want to accomplish.
· I have increased my list of contacts and expanded my network.
· I have explored areas that previously were not of interest or scared me.
· My skills have increased and my mind has expanded.
· I get to write often in my daily work – outside of Bonus Track.
· Now, I can’t get enough of writing.


Another passion of mine is producing live theater as a director and/or actor. Those that engage in live theater, whether it is local, regional, non-profit, for profit, independent or community understand what I mean by passion. When dealing with theater boards or the havoc that participation in a production wrecks on one’s life, you must be committed, you must have an interest and you must have time or find time. It can be all consuming, if you let it and I have, often.

I suppose it is no different than taking your toys and going to the river several times a year, or hunting the various seasons each year, or coaching a child’s sports team, or being a part of the PTA, or caring for multiple animals, or anything that one can become passionate about that would take one away from the normal, everyday duties of a man, woman, mom, dad, employee, or employer. A passion is a passion and we each have our own to which we commit.

Why? I suppose it is because we need more. We want more. We desire for more than everyday life. We yearn for more than a basic standard of living. We want our hearts to race. We want to be challenged. For that is when true growth occurs, where sparks and synapses fly, and where life – living – not droning, take place.