There are many ways to find your passion; I don’t think there is only ONE way to do it. Some people say do what you find the most enjoyable, which requires to look back, take the time to process and make decisions. Some say you need to look at people you admire the most and find inspiration. For me I found my passion out of an impulse, a bet that I made to do something I never did before. When I was diagnosed with a brain tumor, during the days between the diagnosis and meeting a doctor to weight my options, I went to see the Chicago Marathon. I needed a distraction; I happen to be in Chicago, so why not?
Commit to something
Watching the Chicago Marathon was inspiring. I saw the front runner flying by, but then I saw people in the back. Many running with signs saying, “brain tumor survivor”, “cancer survivor” etc. It inspired me, and I said, next year I am coming to run this marathon, not knowing what the future would look like, I had been diagnosed with a brain tumor two days before and had no idea what would happen next, but I had my mind made up.
It might seem reckless to go from barely running a 5k here and there to training for a full-blown marathon, recovering from a brain surgery. Why didn’t I set my sights on a half marathon first? Why didn’t I build up over time? The truth is, I never considered it, Or why didn’t I focus on the brain surgery instead?. I’d had my first brain surgery, and it took me four long months to recover enough to start training. I’d practically had to learn how to walk again, fighting off the diminished balance the doctor said I’d have to accept as my new reality. He didn’t say it in so many words, but he was trying to tell me to accept the fact I may never be able walk straight again.
I didn’t accept it. It was frustrating, having to relearn something we all take for granted, but I never entertained the idea of my lack of balance being a permanent side effect, not even for a minute. I had a marathon to train for, and I told myself I could do it. At first, I was able to accomplish a slow shuffle holding my wife’s hand, then a slow run, and eventually a steady pace. When I was finally strong enough to start training, I was just happy to be taking my first steps toward attaining my goal: running the marathon.
Find help
Many people did think I was crazy for setting such a lofty goal so soon after having brain surgery. I’d consulted with several people I knew who had run the Chicago Marathon, trying to learn from their experiences. Most of them were concerned for me, and didn’t think running the race was a good idea. I didn’t know if it was a good idea either, and I was scared too. But I knew I was going to do it, regardless of their fears or my own. I’d learned that the future was uncertain, and the only thing I could control was preparing for the race. The training kept me motivated, and I was able to focus on that, by doing so it had an unintended consequence, my health got better. Many people, however, not only encouraged me but were there to help. I couldn’t drive yet, so I relied on people to take me places to run and run with me. All I had to do was ask.
Realize you are Stronger than you think
It wasn’t easy. I remember the first time I had to run ten miles and how incredibly hard it was. I walked a good portion of the distance, but I was determined to complete that training run and many others, despite the fact that my lungs burned, every muscle ached, and my feet hurt so much it felt like my shoes were full of sharp rocks. But even with the pain, I was looking forward to running 21 miles, 22, and then the entire marathon. Training my mind, my body and my spirit were key to accomplish my goal, deep down, I knew I could.
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Tell your story
Before, during and after the race; I felt a powerful urge to share my story with my fellow runners. I’d set a goal of under four hours, but the reality was I just wanted to finish. Every time I stopped to walk, I would look to the people around me and tell them my story. “This is my first marathon,” I’d say to them, and, “I just had brain surgery!” All of them were amazed and cheered me on, congratulating me for my accomplishment. I don’t know what I was looking for—maybe sympathy or praise or encouragement—maybe all of it. I just knew that I had to tell them why I was there and what it meant to me. Their reactions gave me strength and energy and helped me keep up my momentum. The more you tell your story, your fears will decrease, and you become braver.
Enjoy the Accomplishment
And then I crossed the finish line, I looked up my race time 4 hours and 26 minutes. For me, being able to finish that marathon meant the world. I found a couple of people to talk to, and I told them what I’d told the runners during the race: “I just ran my first marathon!” and, “I just had brain surgery!” Whatever my motivations for doing this, it felt good to tell people. I think telling them made the whole experience more real. A year ago, I hadn’t been sure what my future held—whether I’d be alive in 12 months—and now I’d completed a full marathon.
Little did I know, at that time, that I was going to like running so much. After the Chicago Marathon, I ran a few others and upped my distance to ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons. Running became something I love doing, running became my passion. The most interesting thing about my passion is that event though I will not pay my mortgage with it, I have learned a few things about myself that have been easily translated to other areas of my life. My passion has taught me, self-confidence, patience, perseverance, grit, discipline, gratitude, and a few others. We will need those in anything we want to do in life.
So if you’re struggling to find your passion, even after trying what feels like doing everything, looking in the past, trying to find inspiration in the success of others, I encourage you to do ONE THING:
Commit to doing something you never did before, it might be the break you were looking for.
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