Imagine you are a teenager again – life is sweet and the outlook is rosy. You have no obligations or pressures, no responsibilities and you are still excited about life. You have the whole world at your feet and your whole life stretches out ahead of you.

Now imagine, as young people often do, that there are no obstacles to you becoming whatever you want to be. What is your dream?

When young people dream, the sky is usually the limit. Money isn’t an issue, talent is not that important and at this point you haven’t shared this dream with anyone so your Mum can’t tell you that you need “something to fall back on” and your Dad can’t tell you that you’ll never make a living out of it.

You don’t know yet that others might view your dream as silly, irresponsible or just downright impossible.

You are still the person you are now: the same personality, likes and dislikes, but you are not spoiled by experience or burdened by responsibility or tarnished by the need to seek approval or meet other people’s expectations. You are you - an open book about to write the next exciting chapter in a long and fulfilling life.

As a teenager, what is your dream? What is it that excites you, makes your heart leap, puts a smile on your face and lightens your step? If you can answer this question, then it’s likely you have found your passion.

Our teenage years are fraught with danger and we are extremely vulnerable. We are trying to find out who we are and dreaming of who we could be. There is so much we want to do and so much we feel we are capable of, but we crave the approval of others and that’s where our dreams tend to come unstuck. Many of us fail to walk the path that was designed for us for fear of criticism or rejection, or a lack of confidence in our abilities. Or perhaps we are just misled into believing it is better to suppress who we are in order to fit in.

Don’t be fooled into thinking there is no way these dreams can be fulfilled or that, as you age, your passions can no longer be ignited. They can be, but perhaps not in the way you first anticipated.

I know a man who loved to sing but lost his voice through illness. He found a new outlet for his love of music and learnt the guitar. He now plays for the same band he used to sing with.

I know a woman who could have been a concert pianist but instead became a wife and mother. She didn’t give up her passion for music and has played at literally thousands of church services, community concerts, old folks’ homes and weddings. She’s probably reached more people in her 55 years of playing than she ever would have as a concert pianist.

So, will your life really change as a result of you following your dream?

As a child my son Ryan was always performing. While not necessarily seeking an audience, he couldn’t enter or exit a room like a normal person. As a teenager he started doing extreme stunts like standing on ladders for hours on end to test his endurance. At 18 years old he’s now training to be a pro-wrestler. I’m not quite sure where he’s headed in the long run, but certainly in the meantime he’s learning discipline, commitment and endurance. He’s learning to respect authority, to “earn his stripes” as he says, and his passion hasn’t wavered despite the brutal training regime.

Ryan is a much happier, more focused and more energetic person because he’s pursuing what he loves. And he’s a better son, brother, employee and friend because of what his passion is teaching him.

Our loved ones lose out when we don’t pursue our dreams. On the other hand, like a domino effect, your passionate approach to life will spur others on to seek out and pursue their dreams. And in turn they will inspire others. Your action today in taking a first step towards igniting your passion will change your life and, without a doubt, it will begin to change the lives of others.

Stepping out is risky. You may risk rejection or failure, you may risk looking like a fool, you may risk the disapproval of others. But without risk, we cannot experience life in all its fullness and we cannot know what it is to be truly free.

“The one who risks nothing does nothing and has nothing and finally is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love. Chained by this servitude, he is a slave. He has forfeited freedom. Only one who risks is truly set free.” (Tim Heinze)

“Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” (Paul, an Apostle)

Join me next month as we continue the journey.


(c) Wendy Rush 2007