Peace, Purpose & Passion

During college I met a professor who would change my life. Several weeks into my spring semester class he began his lecture by saying, “I want you to write this down: Peace, Purpose, and Passion.” And so, I did.

“What will you do that gives you peace, provides you purpose, and enables you to have passion?” he continued. Blank stares had formed on students’ faces across the room, but I was locked in. Something within me was clicking, and my mind was firing.

Peace, purpose, and passion.

“Go home and write those Three Ps down and connect them together. Draw it out on a piece of paper and see what provides you happiness.” And so, I did, but I didn’t wait until I had gotten back to my dorm. I sketched out a quick, ad hoc Venn diagram with the words “peace,” “purpose,” and “passion” within each of the interconnecting circles while class continued.

What will make me happy? I had never asked myself that question.

I started doodling out the first words that came to my head within each circle and quickly started to draw lines connecting each word to the adjacent circle. Doodling out simple and silly words and phrases like, work in NYC, outside, sun on my face, sports, build something, and use my hands quickly covered the sheet of paper within minutes. I didn’t know what it all meant, and it was more confusing to me than anything else, but this was the first time I had ever thought about my future beyond simplistic, surface level terms. This simple exercise seemed to provide a more tangible view of what I could achieve in my life.

What do I really want out of my life? Maybe that was the real question.

I have spent nearly twenty years searching for that answer. It has taken me on a journey of adventure and redemption.

What will make you happy? What will provide you peace, purpose and passion?