Without passion, people live powerless lives. I was asked how I found my passion by a friend. She’s writing about it to empower her readers to find theirs.
It was a multiple-choice question. My answer fell into the none of the above category where I needed to explain my journey. The power of the pivot is the core of my story.
I didn’t discover my passion and that was it, and then I lived happily ever after. No. I pivoted many times, and expect I’ll pivot again.
Understanding the power of the pivot is empowering.
WHY IT’S POWERFUL
People get discouraged when they struggle to find their passion. Some even give up. I think this is because of the thought process that everyone has a single passion to discover and fulfill in their life.
I disagree with that.
Our passions can change as we go through seasons of life. Things happen that alter how we see and change who we are. Some of them are wonderful and others can be painful. Change is part of life.
Pivoting is a tool to help us embrace the changes and find purpose within them.
Pivoting is a tool to help us embrace the changes and find purpose within them. Share on X
WHERE IT CAME FROM
I learned this word from Jeff Goins book The Art of Work. I read it when I was in a place in life where I needed change.
I’d been through a change of life season, but I was having trouble making the transition. I didn’t understand how to move forward with purpose. All I saw in front of me was unknown and scary. This caused feelings of clinginess to the now.
But I wanted to move forward so I read a couple of books looking for help.
Jeff’s book helped me the most with that word. Pivot.
HOW IT WORKS
When you pivot, it’s not a drastic drop everything to start over thing. It’s more gracious. And it’s more comfortable.
You’re simply making a turn. Simply changing direction. You carry with you what you know, what you can do, and learn more.
It’s about embracing the change in a gracious expectant way. It’s applying the new and taking a step in a new direction.
You can pivot at any time carrying your experiences with you into the new.
You can pivot at any time carrying your experiences with you into the new. Share on X
EMBRACING THE CHANGE
I started writing back in 2012. I had a passion to share my story. Previously my passion was focused on my family.
I went through empty nest in a messier way than I hoped or planned. When I finally embraced the change of seeing myself as a separate person from being a mother—I pivoted into the new.
It was time for me to tell my story. After writing my story and embracing all the change in me along the way, I published my first book.
Due to the power of the pivot, I became a published author.
ANOTHER PIVOT
After publishing that first book I discovered a new passion. How people responded to my story impacted me in a way I’d never felt before. This gave me a passion to spread the message of love, grace and empowerment found in Emerging With Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, And The LOVE that Heals.
To follow this new passion meant another pivot. I needed to learn how to do things I had no idea how to do. I became a voracious learner.
Soon I had a website, business email and email service provider. I was taking writing courses, learning the power of community as well as marketing.
It was a pivot in mindset as well as my writing started getting published by others, and I began making money.
This new pivot caused me to become a professional writer.
Understanding the power of the pivot is empowering. Share on X
MORE PIVOTING
This year I’ve pivoted more. I’ve taken risks, and invested in myself, in ways I never have before. I’m talking about money. That is huge with me coming from a background of trauma and self-loathing.
I have a failure under my belt as a businesswoman (closing my online store Soul Worthy) and there’s not an ounce of regret in me. Another huge pivot in mindset. I learned so much from that experience.
When this year began, I was in the middle of completing Because You Matter: How to Take Ownership of Your Life So You Can Really Live.
Before publishing it, that vision pivoted. More stories were needed. I interviewed ten people (something I’d never done before) and included their stories between the chapters.
There were multiple financial investments in this book and it went through a launch. (When I published Emerging With Wings I didn’t even know what a book launch was.)
I started doing public speaking and discovered another new passion. I love public speaking. I never would have guessed I had a passion for public speaking before all this pivoting.
Pivoting turned me into a businesswoman and professional speaker.
IT’S LIKE A DANCE
Pivoting is like a beautiful dance as we take two steps forward, one step back, three steps to the side then slide back in.
With pivoting you can go in any direction. My failed store for example. I took a step out to start the store but then needed pivot back to where I’d been—without any condemnation or shame.
Passions are discovered as we lean into what we know, what we can do, and continue to learn, plus adding the power of the pivot. Not everything will work out and that’s ok.
This year I also started doing audio recordings. I’m planning on releasing Because You Matter as an audiobook. I love doing audio. At least I do now. If it goes well then I may release Emerging With Wings in audio. We’ll see as time goes on how that dance goes.
It’s fun discovering your passion due to the power of the pivot.
It’s fun discovering your passion due to the power of the pivot. Share on X
WHAT NEXT:
- On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it for you to embrace the changes in your life and pivot?
- What kind of change do you find easy or difficult to embrace?
- Which book would you like to help you Embrace the Change in YOUR life?
- Would you like more than a book to help you Embrace the Change in your life?
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