Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Amazing words from Dan Miller

This is sort of a follow up to yesterday's post.  This was sent to me last night.  It is from Dan Miller, an author and career counselor.  Give it a quick read....very very good insight.



But that's not Godly
This addresses the most pervasive and recurring question I receive daily – How can I trust my dreams and passions? 

Tom, a sharp 27-yr-old presented himself in my office, wanting confirmation that he was on the right track. He had recently graduated from college (having taken the 7-year plan) and had taken a position with a company selling office equipment. Each morning he put on his suit and began making his calls. The company loved him, however, he was bored beyond belief. I asked him why he had taken this route and his reply relayed a common perception. Tom said that he had a great time in college; he traveled, went snowboarding, attended ball games, and spent time with his friends. Now that he had graduated he felt it was time to “grow up” and become part of the “real world.” He assumed that meant getting a job that he hated but that would prove his responsibility.

I laughed and asked who had sold him that bill of goods. We looked carefully at his skills, personality traits, values, dreams and passions. Today, Tom is co-owner of a snowboard shop in Breckenridge, Colorado. On a moonlight night you might catch him coming down a hill at 3:00 AM, testing one of his new designs.

What is it that you find naturally enjoyable? If money were not important, what would you spend your time doing? When do you find the time just flying by? What are those recurring themes that keep coming up in your thinking? What did you enjoy as a child but perhaps have been told was unrealistic or impractical to focus on as a career?

This is a tough area for most people. There is a subtle spiritual myth that following our dreams is likely to be selfish, egotistical, and something God would frown on. That kind of thinking implies that God is totally outside of ourselves; we are simply physical robots separated from His mind and heart. However, we are created in God’s image and as such are co-creators with Him. Why would God have created us to think imaginatively and to have vivid dreams only to then squelch those dreams for practicality? Consider the possibility that your dreams and desires are the voice of your soul, God’s voice within you, longing for expression through your faith and action. And as you move toward your values, dreams, and passions, you will move toward being more spiritual and more fully what God created you to be.

1 comment:

Ryan Raymond said...

great thought man. so true in many respects. we get the jobs we have because we have to pay the bills or because we want people to think good of us. but we hate ourselves for settling and hate our jobs because they are meaningless.
delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. PS 37.4
keep your focus on God. He created you the way you are with the dreams, desires, passions and abilities that you have. He has a plan and purpose. Delight in Him and He will use those things for His glory and His Kingdom. and you will love every minute of it, even when it is hard.