OPUS practicing…

A few weeks back, during my normal work week, someone asked me, with real zeal in their eyes, what work had me most excited these days.  I relished receiving this one.  I think about it all the time.  If great lives are lived by those that whole-heartedly live out their passions in work and life, then this question is of paramount importance.  

Does it change over time and through adversity?  Are you constantly choosing between one passion and another, in essence living with a life of compromise?  Can anyone who is wired to be in business, ever get a sustained dose of energy from anything that doesn’t pay?  Can the head coach, top manager, owner, Church planter, CEO, or anyone in charge of anything have a life beyond their calling?  Moving on…

As I sat in this executives car my mind raced to retrieve the most basic, honest answer.  It whirled for but a fraction of time and then quickly spit out it’s answer.  I didn’t have to think.  I didn’t have time to worry.  I didn’t have to wonder if the answer was good enough or met anyone else’s frame of reference.  All I had to do was listen to my CORE.  

A strong CORE takes a long time to build and, in fact, you NEVER stop building.  A strong CORE, once well in the building process, does allow it’s owner some serious speed.  When you have decided, really decided who you are, what you believe, what you want, where you’re going, and how YOU will keep score, you move with uncommon speed.  You stop wasting cycles of time doing what others want and laboring in vain.  You say yes and no with clarity and without regret. You pour yourself into a few and walk away from countless others.  Very cool.

Here’s what I heard once the whirling had stopped between my head and my heart.  AND, here’s what I said.  As you might imagine they are in perfect alignment, what I heard and what I reported.  This is one hundred percent true and really cool to me.  This is the seed of arrogance and the heart of performance.  Yes, they are that close together.  Scary.  This is also not a highly paying gig, in case you’re still wondering.  I said…

TAYLOR.

What OPUS has you most excited these days?

What labor are you continuing to pursue with half your heart and most of your time?

Who are you pouring yourself into?

Do you know that your days are numbered and you are not in control of the numbering?

Tell me more…