The element is 'the point where natural talent meets passion.'
These are some of the ideas I identified with most in the book:
*Instead of asking 'How intelligent are you?' Ask 'How are you intelligent'.
We all have natural, and I would add God given intelligent and shouldn't we be searching to find out in what areas that intelligence lies?
*When you find your element you have periods when you go in and out of the 'zone' The zone is where creativity and imagination meet and nothing can stop them. The zone fills us with energy rather than exhausts us. Ideas fly, things happen. But it is natural to not 'always' be in the zone. Creativity fluctuates.
*Fear is the most common obstacle to finding your element.
*The Author quotes another book and the title says it all.
*Just because you find your element doesn't mean you have to be a professional (meaning making a living) at whatever it is. The word Amateur means lover, devoted friend, or someone who is in avid pursuit of an objective.
*It is not too late to find your passion and your element. "Human lives are cyclical, different capacities express themselves in stronger ways at different times in our lives. Because of this we get multiple opportunities for new growth and development, and multiple opportunities to revitalize latent capacities" {my words talents}
These are some of the ideas I identified with most in the book:
*Instead of asking 'How intelligent are you?' Ask 'How are you intelligent'.
We all have natural, and I would add God given intelligent and shouldn't we be searching to find out in what areas that intelligence lies?
*When you find your element you have periods when you go in and out of the 'zone' The zone is where creativity and imagination meet and nothing can stop them. The zone fills us with energy rather than exhausts us. Ideas fly, things happen. But it is natural to not 'always' be in the zone. Creativity fluctuates.
*Fear is the most common obstacle to finding your element.
*The Author quotes another book and the title says it all.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
*The difference between lucky people and unlucky people is attitude. We make our luck. Lucky people notice and act upon opportunities, they listen to their intuition, and the expect to be lucky. When misfortune arrives they 'see' it as an abnormality rather than what is expected. Lucky people reframe 'bad luck' into something beneficial.
*Just because you find your element doesn't mean you have to be a professional (meaning making a living) at whatever it is. The word Amateur means lover, devoted friend, or someone who is in avid pursuit of an objective.
*It is not too late to find your passion and your element. "Human lives are cyclical, different capacities express themselves in stronger ways at different times in our lives. Because of this we get multiple opportunities for new growth and development, and multiple opportunities to revitalize latent capacities" {my words talents}
So...are you in your element? What IS your element?
3 comments:
An interesting idea - "where natural talent meets passion". I have passions, but I'm not sure if I have talent to match the passion. But I guess that's where the discovery process comes in . . . pursuing the passion to see if there is any talent there. Sometimes I think the talent manifests itself because of our passions.
And I'm rambling - don't even know if this makes sense. But it's definitely something to think about and explore.
You hit on most of my favorite points. One you missed - the role of mentors in helping us find and pursue our Element and the many ways they can help. Oh, and the discussion on "tribes." I don't have my notes right here, but I loved that it said that our tribe doesn't have to have the same interests as us, just that they are all working to be better. Coincidentally, I need to talk to you about a tribe I am going to be creating...
To answer your question, since reading that I notice a lot more the things that really energize me vs. the things that are drudgery, and realizing that if I can hand those off I need to. For instance, I used to help teach a business class for one of Adam's homeschool groups. It was hard to make myself get ready for it. I didn't look forward to it at all. And I finally told them in December that it just wasn't working. For the same group, now I'm doing their newsletter and I'm preparing to teach a writing class. I can (and have) stayed up late working on the newsletter for the fun of it. It's exciting to put it together and make it look nice, and the compliments I've gotten on it feed me even more. I took note of that, and I figure while "making newsletters for a good cause" maybe not be specifically one of my elements, it's a piece to the puzzle. But I've already offered to make a parent newsletter for our scout leaders. :)
Sharon...sometimes I wonder that same thing about passions and talent. I really love photography and I have 'some' talent in that area. But I wonder do I have the kind of talent that my passion deserves (or desires)? I don't know. But the part about feeling the 'fear' and doing it anyway made me think differently in that respect. Who knows, but full bore ahead to find out eh?
Marni, very good points. I wasn't smart enough to take notes, so I just stuck paper towel bookmarks in the book as I read. (unfortunately some fell out and others I couldn't figure out what I was marking for when I went back to review.) And obviously remembering things is not in my element. :) Mentors are a big part of it, I'm interested to see what you are cooking up.
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