I don’t read my archives very often. No particular reason, I don’t think. It’s not like I’m trying to avoid something, I don’t think. But I was just looking back and found this. And thought I’d share it. Again. (First published August 27, 2009.)

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At the end of this year, how would you love to be different?

That’s the assignment I gave to someone today. Or maybe I gave it to myself.

She was standing on the edge of starting something up again. She was having mixed feelings about it. She was wanting to know whether it was worth it, why it wasn’t feeling very exciting, how to approach it. It is a school-year-long thing, a thing that will take some time and energy and emotional involvement.

So I decided to ask a passion question. Not a strategic question, not an implementation question, not a planning question, but a question designed to invite the heart into the conversation.

At the end of this year, how would you love to be different?

Those other questions will come. After you know what you care about, you can figure out how to get there. Other people can help you think those things through. But this question? It’s gotta start with you.

At the end of this school year, this season, this party, this course, this service, this seminar, this job, this campaign, this season of Lent, this time through the book of Matthew, this conversation, this post…

…how would you love to be different?

Of course, how would I?