It was the summer of 1996. I had graduated from college, played my last college baseball game and had decided on pursing the path of CFA operator. As a result, I was working 6 days a week, averaging 60 hour weeks (for those that don't love math, that means half of the weeks were more than 60 hours). I was on salary, making $19,000 a year (adjusting for inflation, that is $31,000 today). I asked for more $$ or a day off. The answer I got was NO. Kaylyn and I were about to be engaged and I remember standing in her drive way telling her I was drained. My tank was empty.
So, where would I find time to refuel? Well, I was also playing baseball on a local mens team around metro Atlanta because baseball was my passion. Most games were Sunday afternoons. I was working 6 days, going to church and then playing baseball on the 7th day. As the summer wore on, I began to realize something. Baseball wasn't my future. It was my passion, but it wasn't my purpose. I had 3 things taking my time and leaving no room for restoration. CFA, Kaylyn, baseball. I knew that the path to operator required my commitment to CFA. I knew Kaylyn was going to be my wife. That left baseball as simply a passion with no purpose.
I called the coach up and told him I couldn't continue. To this day, it's the only role I've ever quit prematurely. That was my last time playing in a baseball game. It was a hard decision. I love baseball and I hate quiting. And, it was the right decision.
The world says "follow your passion". There is some value there BUT it becomes destructive when your passion and your purpose conflict. The key is to find where passion and purpose overlap.
That's when CFA became my next sport. It turns out that while I do enjoy throwing and hitting the ball, what I really enjoy is team competition. I wasn't going to make a living in baseball. At that moment in her driveway, I wasn't passionate about CFA. I had to bring those together so that I could make a living doing something I'm passionate about. It was a decision that changed my life.
Passion alone can take you down the wrong path. Purpose alone can be draining. Find your purpose and bring your passion into it.
