Rev. Susan: Passion, Empathy, Desire, Commitment

Rev. Susan: Passion, Empathy, Desire, Commitment: I recently read an article that said the secret to being a great chef surpasses the knowledge of flavors or how to present a "pretty" plate....

Passion, Empathy, Desire, Commitment

I recently read an article that said the secret to being a great chef surpasses the knowledge of flavors or how to present a "pretty" plate.  The article said that to be a great chef requires passion, empathy, desire and commitment.  It got me thinking that to be a great anything requires those very same things. 

• Passion is the driver that transforms most any endeavor from good to great; it doesn't matter if you're creating the next great work of art, or a dinner for your friends.  What are you passionate about?
• Empathy is the ability to put yourself in the shoes of another person. Depending on what you are passionate about, think of empathy as a built in "customer service indicator." Being attuned to others' emotions and needs is a level of emotional intelligence that we need to pack for our journey from good to great. Did you listen to someone today?  Really listen?
• Desire keeps complacency out of our lives.It could be a simple as trying a new restaurant or vacationing to some far away, exotic place. Desire keeps us hungry for excellence! What new thing will you try out this week, month, year? 
• Commitment keeps us teachable, reminds us to continue to stretch, learn new things, and grow. Most of all commitment is what encourages us to pay it forward and share what we have learned. Where are you sharing your gifts?

Maybe being a great chef doesn't get you excited, but I invite you to consider what does...where in your life do you want to break through the bonds of "competence" and soar into greatness?  I leave you with the words of Jim Collins, author of our May book of the month at Center for Spiritual Living San Jose:  Greatness is not a function of circumstance.  Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline.
Center for Spiritual Living, San Jose
Rev. Susan Overland