Long long ago, in the faraway land of Great Britain, lived a boy named Patrick.
When he was 16, Irish raiders invaded his wealthy family’s estate. He was kidnapped and taken to the faraway land called Ireland. He was scared and lonely.
Day after day. Year after year. Time passed slowly.
He turned to religion to get through this time.
Then one night, he received a message in a dream. God told him it was time to leave Ireland.
And so he did. He escaped from his captors, left Ireland and returned to Great Britain. Walking all the way home for 200 miles.
After studying religion in Britain for many years, he received another message. This one from an angel – telling him to return to Ireland as a missionary.
And so – he did.
In Ireland, Patrick spoke out for Christianity.
He spoke against slavery.
He spoke in favor of women’s rights.
Patrick had a vision.
He was passionate about it.
He shared it passionately.
He shared it in a way that enabled others to hear the value to them.
He didn’t ask them to adopt his vision and drop theirs.
Instead he wove his and theirs together.
He shared his vision and his passion until the day he died on March 17, 460 A.D.
Whether you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green, drinking green, sharing limericks, eating shamrock cookies or not at all – St. Patrick is an example of a person with vision and passion –
both of which are needed for business success.
What is it that you want for yourself, for your family, for your business?
Really – what is it you really really really really really want?
For today, tomorrow, this week, this month, this year and the years beyond?
Think you have a clear vision for this?
Why is it you want it?
And why is that?
And why is that?
Why?
Don’t cheat.
Pay attention to all the reallys.
Answer all the whys?
Why?
Because of the legendary leprechaun.
Reportedly, he isn’t very friendly – but he DOES possess a pot of gold.
If you catch a leprechaun, he must tell you where the treasure is
OR
he can trick you and vanish!
Has that ever happen to you?
You chased your dream. Maybe even found a pot of gold.
And then –
it vanished.
Maybe you got tricked.
Maybe someone distracted you.
Or maybe you got tired and lonely and stopped caring so much.
Or maybe you never really cared about it anyway.
Or maybe it wasn’t even worth it to begin with.
It’s easy to be tricked.
or even trick yourself.
And that’s why the why is critical.
It will carry you through tricky times – those scary, lonely days and nights when you wonder why it is you are doing what you are doing – this thing you really really really really really want?
And why was that?
Tell others about your vision.
Tell them with passion.
Tell them why you want it.
If you are really lucky – they may want it too.
And then —-
Well – you’ve got Patrick on your side
and that leprechaun doesn’t stand a chance.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
from Business Class.
©2005 – Original Copyright by Jan Bolick, Business Class Inc; revised 2009.
The author gives permission to distribute copies of this article as long as it is used entirely. Please send notification of publication title and date to jan@businessclassinc.com.
Brief Excerpt from Interview of “Dare to Lead” Author Thomas Lutz
