Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth (Henry David Thoreau)

 

Photo by Sean Stratton on Unsplash

Here's a great question from writer Elizabeth Gilbert:

What do you love doing so much that the words failure and success essentially become irrelevant?

I've been thinking about this and Eleanor Roosevelt's remarks about values that I posted on Purdzilla, and an idea that a colleague told me about (thanks Lisa):

Write down everything that you love doing…..then cross off everything that anyone can do (watching movies, walking, reading etc). The list needs to be specific to you. What you are left with is what you really value, your why.

Writing my daily weblog posts definitely fits into all of these categories. As my Wozza's Place quasi mission statement says: 

What I write here is not my teaching, but my study; it is not a lesson for others, but for me. And yet it should not be held against me if I publish what I write. What is useful to me may also by accident be useful to another. Moreover, I am not spoiling anything, I am only using what is mine. And if I play the fool, it is at my expense and without harm to anyone. For it is a folly that will die with me, and will have no consequences.

Unlike blogging, teaching doesn't align with Gilbert's quote (failure and success are very relevant), but I love doing it (always have done) and it has real value for me. As I've said before, I am very proud of my career choice - to serve others.

The value list is a tough one to do. My initial thought was that most activities could, theoretically, be done by others. 

However, my teaching style is my teaching style (everyone on planet Earth is unique); my relationships with everyone I come into contact with are all unique so playing with Asher, sharing meals with Jacky, sharing discoveries with my colleagues, helping Jade with her essays' grammar, our family zoom conversations, banter with Kev and GK (and so on) are all things I love and could not be replaced by others.

All three sources (from Elizabeth Gilbert, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lisa) are really helpful in honing in on core values and the things that are really really important.