Two years ago this month, legendary football coach Joe Paterno died at the age of 85. Paterno was at the helm of perennial power Penn State University for forty-six years before being released of his duties this past November. He was accused by school officials, among others, of failing to be more aggressive with the reporting of a sex scandal involving one of his assistants.
A Daily Purpose
An article that weekend from MSN and yahoo.com discussed common habits of those who live longer. The number one suggestion was to avoid retirement.
Paterno lived his dream. He had been quoted as saying that he had no other interest. Not golf, bicycling, cars – football was his only passion. Later on in his career, whenever asked his plans for retirement, he cleverly responded, “Ah, probably in another four years.” He didn’t want coaches at other schools to have a competitive advantage when recruiting the same players as he. Paterno didn’t want to give the coaches an opportunity to suggest to these players that he wouldn’t be around much longer.
The day that he was fired was the day that his daily purpose was gone and, I suppose in a sad way, so was his passion for life.
The Clock is Telling
Do you check the clock throughout the day? If so, there’s a good chance that you lack passion for your work. The one year, since I began in real estate, that I took a job working for someone else, my day seemed to lack purpose. Once you become accustomed to working for yourself, it’s difficult to ever work for someone else again.
Our True Purpose In Life
That’s one of the things that make a career in real estate, along with many others, so compelling. Yes our careers can be stressful at times. Yes there are moments when we feel unappreciated. Yes there are times when we feel as if we are “swimming against the tide.” But let’s face it, there’s nothing like the feeling of knowing that you helped someone attain their dream. That’s when you become aware that your life has a purpose. That’s when you realize that all of us have one deep and meaningful purpose in life - helping others. Once we lose that opportunity, our passion is that much more difficult to maintain.
What are your thoughts on passion and purpose? We would love to hear them in the comment section below.
