Turning What You Love into What You Do
By Patrick O’Connor
Life’s Mission
Many people live their life’s mission while others wish they had. If you turn what you love into what you do, you have a greater chance of living your mission in life. At a minimum, at least you will be happy. So how do you live life’s mission?
All Road Less Traveled (RLT) alums have a mission in life which provides another play from their playbook. They practice this mission in their personal and professional lives, as there is almost no line between them. Their mission is often about supporting those in need or who have been marginalized — those who are on the fringe, left out, ignored and forgotten — those on the outside looking in.
Their work is about encouragement, positive behaviors, esteem, mentoring and empowerment. In many respects, they all follow the servant leadership role identified by Nelson Burns of Coleman Professional Services (Volume 8). That role is to “put the needs of others first to help people develop and perform as highly as possible.”
Psychic Income
What do people get from living their mission? There is rarely any monetary compensation. Recipients rarely know who their benefactors are and the RLT subjects prefer it that way. Most would tell you they just love what they receive from doing what they love. Perhaps it originates with the familiar phrase that many believe: “it is better to give than receive.”
Humbly living your mission is about doing things without any expectation of return, incognito, behind the scenes, unconditional with no fanfare. No strings attached. This is often referred to as psychic income which is satisfaction derived from a job or undertaking separate from its financial gain. RLT subjects would tell you there is no way to spend psychic income. You can only save it.
When you get where you’re goin’, don’t forget turn back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind.
-Tim McGraw, “Always Be Humble and Kind”
Mission in Action
The RLT alums represent people who tirelessly work for the betterment of their communities and those who live in them. All are examples of servant leadership. They are involved in many aspects of their communities but often focus on causes that are close to their hearts.
“With humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11)
We all love animals. Marilyn Sessions and Bill White put their love into action by supporting the Dog Days of Summer festival in Kent each August. Over $10,000 was raised in 2019 to support various groups involved with animal protection. Bill and his wife, Edie, even sponsor the Strut Your Mutt parade.
RLT subjects love the performing arts. Here are examples of how they share that love. Tom Fulton is preparing talented young artists for the theater. He founded and directs the Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy where students gain exposure and preparation for theater careers. Rachel Brown shares her gift for music and songwriting with combat veterans. Joan Meggitt blends her talents in dance, music and singing with Parkinson’s Disease patients to improve their movement and social interaction. Al Flogge spent a lifetime dedicated to the arts and established a theatre/motion picture memorabilia collection at Kent State University. Kara Cea, an Akron University dance professor, helped start the Artsparks program which provides dance programs for school children in Northeast Ohio.
The communities of RLT alums Gwen Rosenberg, Marty Mordarski, Julie Messing and Linda Ferguson are better off because of their dedication. Linda raised and distributed thousands of dollars through the Portage Foundation to support a wide assortment of community needs. Gwen serves on Kent City council in addition to her community service. Julie enriches the lives of future entrepreneurs through her college mentoring leadership. Marty’s professional positions along his RLT develop and improve people and organizations throughout the region.
Many people in our communities struggle with mental health. Sad to say, the numbers are increasing. Joe Hendershott, George Miller, Ann Kent and Nelson Burns represent the legions of professionals devoted to improving the lives of those who are traumatized. George uses his gift to create art that inspires those who are afflicted and those who serve them. Joe and his family create professional resource materials to support those who work with traumatized youth. Coleman Professional Services has adult counseling covered with programs to support adults in need. Ann Kent leveraged her love and talent for music to counsel those in need via music therapy.
The RLT alums provide a standard for people to extend their talents to improve their communities. It is part of doing what they love. My next blog segment will expand on the RLT alums’ quality of “hard soft skills.”
“We get a living by what we get; we get a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill)
