Fueling the Fire of Passion

Catchy title eh? I cannot stress this enough to anyone, whether you are just starting out in your career or in the middle of it - do what you love and eventually the money will come in one form or another…

“One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.”
~ Elisabeth Elliott ~” -

Making a life is as important as making a living. It’s not an either-or decision. values and purpose - not great products - defined successful businesses. The same holds true for taking the plunge to start a business , take up a new passion (can you say horses) and your life in general . As I get ready to head out to the barn where our Alle has returned aka “Joaniland“, I can feel that fire of passion to being rekindled as Joani and I train us for showing… I am so stoked. I am also so blessed (thank you G_d amen,) that I have been led to two “been there done that horses”, Alle for showing, Billy-Meister for endurance.

Courage
Of course, embracing change requires a certain mindset. It takes courage and a tolerance for risk and rejection to embark on - and to stay the course of - your quest. A life of disruptive individuality isn’t easy, but neither is living a life of quiet desperation (and which do you think has the greater potential for achievement and joy?).

The question is this: Do you believe having a sense of purpose and passion about your work is realistic and attainable? What’s required from a mindset standpoint is both courage and commitment. We achieve our upside potential through conscious choice and determined action, not by default or deferring to others.

A few thoughts to fuel you for the journey

Vision & Purpose
The quote I use to illustrate the vision-purpose concept is Gandhi’s “Be the change you want to see in this world,” where the change is your vision, and your purpose is the role you play in achieving that vision.

Values

Although th priorities may change, values tend to be constant . The challenge actually moving from what you express as your values to actually living them. What’s your comitment? It’s easy to hedge, using phrases likee “kind of,” “sort of,” “well, not that this could ever happen, but…” Then I found this quote from explorer W.H. Murray –

Until one is committed there is the chance to draw back; always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have dreamed would come his way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.”

Nuff said

Persistence . No such thing as “giving up” in a successful person’s mind. Just like the Energizer Bunny, they keep going and going. As they say, success is 98% showing up, 2% talent. I’ve experienced this so many times with running goals, horse show goals and of course opening up our inn

Flexibility

The only constant is change. Simply said, successful people go with the flow. Ride the wave. Rigidity is the kiss of death in creating anything you want.Trust me this is a work in progress; I’ve found that most of the seeming problems that cropped up were opportunities in work clothes.

But enough food for thought for a monday… Now for some food for the stomach! Speaking of values , though methinks my late German Oma must be communicating her values to me from the great beyond, since I hate throwing away food. It literally makes me sick to my stomach, that in this land of excess, how easy it is to pitch old eggs, milk days before its inevitable demise, fruit and vegetables we always forget about,

As an innkeeper what do you do with all those pumpkins, but of course, pumpkin waffles.

Pumpkin Waffles
Adapted from Epicurious
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick unsalted butter, melted

Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron.

Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices.

Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until smooth.

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks Polk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.

Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp.

Trot on friends, trot on.