How Passion Can Provide Determination To Reach Your Destination

I’ve never quite understood people who participate in running “for fun”. How can running for a long period of time, even when it's scorching hot outside and your legs are cramping as sweat is trickling down your forehead possibly be considered as fun? Apparently these difficulties that come from running a race is nothing compared to the passion that runners have. And that’s what keeps them going. Without this passion, it’s impossible for them to persevere. But how is it that passion is what keeps us going?

1. Passion provides perseverance. And although the process of running may include broken ankles and tired legs, runners continue to run—no matter how hot the sun may be, no matter what obstacles may get thrown along their paths. Why? Because the fire that’s inside of them is bigger than the challenge they may have to face in order to reach the finish line.
2. Passion is enthusiasm,and enthusiasm is what energizes a person to keep on running. It’s also determination to reach your destination, and to continue going even after you’ve arrived.
3. Passion creates fire. It’s what drives a runner to keep on running. But the flame that’s inside of someone won’t get bigger unless it’s fed. If you fail to feed your fire, it’ll die, and you won’t have the strength to get over the obstacles nor will you reach your finish line. Those who are seriously passionate about what they’re doing will reach the finish line, no matter what it takes.

How can one achieve their dream if they lack passion? As writers, passion is a necessity not only to keep going, but to connect with our readers and keep them reading what we write. This quote by Eleanor Doan explains this clearly:

“You cannot kindle a fire in any other heart until it is burning within your own.”

Think about the finish line illustration again. Now imagine that there are two people running a race against each other—one that is passionate about running and reaching the finish line, and one who is only running the race just so he can receive a shiny trophy to display. The road that they must run on is long and the race is very challenging with many obstacles thrown along their path. However, the person who is passionate about running is going to enjoy the journey more and it will be less-difficult for that person than for the other one who has no passion for running whatsoever, but is only in it for the prize.

Once you find what it is that drives you, take the steps needed in order to feed that fire. Because although your dream may seem glamorous, I highly doubt the road to any finish line is going to be easy. That’s why you must keep feeding your fire. If your dream is to become a published author one day, then read books. Listen to music. Take walks. Observe other people. And most importantly, spend time with your Creator.

I’ve always been a big believer in dreaming big. If you don’t dream big then the chances of you ever succeeding in life are very slim. So go after what your heart desires and pursue what it is that drives you. If you obtain this kind of perseverance, I’m sure that you’ll reach the finish line just as long as you keep God first and never quit running.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

~Hebrews 12:1

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What does having passion mean to you? What is it that drives you to keep running? What steps can you take to feed that fire?

EDIT: There will be no post Monday, July 4th. Happy Independence Day!