Passion

More and more today people of all ages, professions, and personalities are worried about their brand.  What is it?  Whatever it is, does it reflect my intent?  Whatever it is, and whatever is my intent, will it help me get ahead?  Candidly I don’t know much about the details of my personal brand.  There are a few details which I frequently reflect on.  I know I rarely measure up to my intent, fall far short of my desire, and yet these are the most important principles I hold to which in turn reflect the core of the brand I one day hope to reflect.
 
Center to the reflection is the principle of compassion.  The world is a tough place.  Things are not getting any easier.  Struggles, uncertainties, and extreme pain are far more commonplace than even I am willing to admit!  In this setting, compassion is, in my view, one of the defining principles of our relationship.
 
Integrated into the brand I hope I aspire to, are two words; consistency and transparency.  I hope that these translate to others as integrity.  Unless one holds onto compassion with integrity, compassion is merely heartless manipulation.
 
Wrapping compassion and integrity together, is the concept of connectedness.  In my experience, I find that unless one is truly linked – with the mind and the heart – with those around you and Divinity, nothing in this life will make sense.  It is impossible to sustain one’s efforts, step into the unknown, and realize one dream without the help of those around you and God.
 
When you put the pieces together it is easy to focus on the externals.  Jesus words bring this mistake back into perspective.  “If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe.  My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene.  So now you're clean.  But not every one of you.”  (John 13.10) 
 
The challenge today is choice.  What is your passion?  What is most important?  What happens now, in this moment?  It is your call and mine.