The time of the quickie is way past.

As Re-purposing becomes the new professional mantra, haven’t we been doing that in our personal lives too?

The last 3 months have showed us loss. Losing loved ones, faith and of course, any semblance of business and profession. We are angry. Afraid. And, desperate to not appear so. 

I think I was in Grade 10 when I had this conversation with my Dad. I was never a topper, used to be comfortably located in the top 10. Never let my ambition run riot with my comfort. Well, barring once. Had an ethical fall out with the topper and challenged her to an exam duel. Studied like no tomorrow. Felt as if I was fighting a crusade. Lost. She still got 6 marks more than me. I felt like the world had shrunk. There was so much rage at myself. 

Some angry days passed and then, I forgot all about it. 

My father sat me down. He told me rage is only good re-purposed. I have to let it breathe slowly and transform it into those gorgeous orange embers... that warm you for a long time and keep you lit inside out. It only works if it helps me change behavior. It’s uncomfortable because at the end of the day it is a fire tamed, inside of you. Its unsettling because it demands to be fed with action. Otherwise, he said, I could always be like a soda fizz bottle .. all drama for 10 mins and done with, after.  No purpose. Only a very artificial sense of thirst quenched. 

I made this mistake often in my early years. Chose easy soda fizz vs unsettling embers. I still do on Health. 

Re-Purposing is something we have all lived with. We didn’t know it had such a sexy name. We re-purposed our lives when we gave in to what the family needed. We re-purposed our personality when we couldn’t live with our wants and ambitions. We re-purposed time when we defined how much of it, would we give to ourselves.

Now, we just have to Re-purpose Purpose. Go the embers way. It is painful but will get you to a place that will calm your hunger. Make changes that are long term. Trust that hunger. It does not yearn for easy satiation. You don’t want just another job. You want it to matter to you. You want to matter to it. 

The time of the quickie is way past.

Have a relationship with yourself !