I’ve been obsessed with two ideas for the past few weeks: finding joy and creating value. I think they’re two sides of the same coin. What causes me joy should create value, if only in the joy I foster in my audience. Similarly, what brings value to my audience should have some value, some joy, to or for me.
To find joy is to identify one’s strengths, to embrace them, and to work on them. It is not to identify a passion, which can be altogether fleeting. It is to find something worth pursuing for an extended length of time and to pursue that thing with all of one’s energy despite how hard or frustrating that thing sometimes is.
The question becomes how to turn something that brings joy into something that adds value to an audience. I take joy in my writing, but I know I need to continue to tweak it so that it brings more value to my audience. I have to measure my efforts and adapt accordingly. At the same time, I have to find a way to create value without losing the joy. I have to hold onto my voice and my ideas. I can’t get lost in the echo chamber. I have to find and hold onto the joy. I have to create value for my audience.
What things bring you joy? How do you turn those things into things of value to and for your audience?
Thought provoking Erin. When we have joy in what we are doing it certainly comes through to our audience and adds value and is the best of all worlds. I started to paint for my own joy and remind myself to not take the joy away by becoming to serious.
Your video is a nice way for your audience to know you and sense your joy!
@Davidbgoldstein Maintaining a sense of humor or silliness is very important. I think it helps us to recover when we’ve failed for the umpteenth time.
Hi Erin,
oh something went wrong when I hit enter. sorry about that. Anyway, I love this part of your post “To find joy is to identify one’s strengths, to embrace them, and to work on them” I definitely agree on this thought. Your strength can really make you feel happy in anyway, it makes you a stronger person too. So make sure we embrace that, work on them so we could feel the real meaning of life!
Perhaps Livefyre had a little hiccup? 🙂
Thank you for stopping by the place and leaving a comment. Working on your strengths can bring happiness – even if you sometimes have to fight through frustration in order to reach the happy part.