An outlet for passion

Over the last few years I've discovered how much I enjoy the spotlight.  I'm coming to embrace opportunities to grab it. I enjoy the moment, the responsibility, the execution, and, of course, praise.  The spotlight combines the excitement of risk and passion into a period of time where I, for my audience, am the focus for helping them move forward. 

In my career, I lead the engagement and presentation of software solutions for business problems.  My audiences are business people in executive, leadership, and front-line roles.  I hopefully give them a new perspective and direction in their business roles.

As a coach, I try to create an environment where the athletes learn through experience.  My risk is doing things differently.  My reward is seeing growth of my players talents.  My audience is the parents.  For them, I'm a running color-commentary of the action and, perhaps, confirming to them their children's personality.

As a catechist teaching faith formation to third graders, I hope I'm a witness and a different experience than they encounter in schools and in dealing with other adults in their lives.  The stage is mine and I invite them onto it, extracting some participation by expressing joy and passion for our faith.

There are some challenges that come with the spotlight:

• If you're the type who leads, people will ask you to lead (usually by them taking a giant step backwards when volunteers are asked for).
• Not everyone appreciates the effort that goes into preparing for the stage.  It's easier to critique than create.
• I don't like to share in the effort of creation or the glory of the results.  And since the stage is a production, I want everyone's performance to be great, not merely acceptable.

I know this passion will take me somewhere else.  Will it be writing?  Will it be performance- musical or stage?  Will it be humor?  Keynote presentations?  Why not combine all of the above?