I got sucked in to watching this show where scouts pluck girls from obscurity and decide whether or not to sign them with a modeling agency. And hidden deep within the photo shoots, heavy make-up, and hair-blowing-in-the-wind, was an important lesson.
The episode I watched pitted two would-be-models against each other. Let's call one Pouty Edgy Girl (PEG), and let's call the other girl The Other Girl (TOG).
Pouty Edgy Girl was a natural. Her photo shoot was perfect. She nailed every pose, and the photographer loved her. She had a pouty attitude and edge, and the scouts and agents cheered her on. But PEG wasn't sure modeling was her dream. Her uncertainty and lack of passion shone through.
The Other Girl wasn't a natural. Her walk was clunky. Her poses lacked confidence. The scouts and agents shook their heads with worry. But for TOG, modeling was her dream. She was passionate, determined, willing to improve, and considered herself "blessed" to have this opportunity.
You probably know where this is headed, right? You guessed it. Pouty Edgy Girl was not signed. The agents loved her, but they weren't willing to take a chance on a model who lacked passion and commitment. The Other Girl's winning attitude caused the agency to want to work with her and shape her career.
It was another reminder that all the stars can be lined up...talent, luck, connections. But if we lack passion for our work, and the commitment to see it through to the end, whatever that end may be, we're missing the winning ingredients.
I found a quote by an unknown author that sums this up perfectly. "When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible."
Pouty Edgy Girl was an artist, and art was her passion. She'll be just fine. As for The Other Girl, we might see her on the cover of a magazine some day.
What are your thoughts on passion and commitment? Are there days when you're lacking one or both? How do you get it back?