Passion is About…Awareness

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I met a guy at the Northwest Flower Show who grows orchids. After 20 years of tending an orchid greenhouse, calling him a gardener is an understatement. He does more than cultivate flowers—he cultivates his passion.

Our conversation made me realize that passion is much more than an amazing vision, intense feelings, or burning desire. For passion to survive a quick, fiery start and become your life’s work, you need techniques for the long haul. So, we’ll spend March understanding how inspirational people use soft skills to bring their passion to life in the series, Passion is About…

Meet Lauren Ko

Lauren Ko isn’t a baker by training. But after seeing an unusual pie online in the fall of 2016, she thought, “Huh, wonder if I could make one?”

I’m not talking about your grandma’s pie trimmings like stars, flowers or leaves. Lauren’s pies are in a category of their own, where taste and presentation must be equally spectacular. She told Martha Stewart, “I consider myself an artist, and my medium happens to be edible.”

And where does she get her ideas? Not from specialty baking catalogues, but from everyday items when she’s out and about like bathroom floor tilework, textiles, architecture or game boards. She takes that inspiration and transforms it into intricate geometric designs using edible flowers and fruits or interwoven pie dough known as “string art.” You can see her breathtaking designs at her Insta handle, lokokitchen.

Awareness Opens the Door to Inspiration

For Lauren Ko, passion is about awareness. A vital part of her journey has been staying open—from acting on the nudge from her instincts to try pie baking to finding inspiration anywhere and everywhere she goes. She says, “I’ll see someone walking down the street with a cool shirt and file that away in my memory bank.” Lauren may close the door of her kitchen every night, but she never closes the door to her creativity.

Are you like Lauren Ko where you find yourself asking, “Huh, wonder if I could do that?” Then take the first step—pair the soft skill of awareness with the Soul Boss principle of matching head and heart. Start following the whispers from your soul and counterbalance those creative flashes with cool critical thinking. When you support your big dreams with How experimentation, you’re on the road to bringing your intentions to life.

The Awareness Challenge

Here are three ways for you to use awareness:

• Make it fast by taking 30 seconds to declare, “Inspiration surrounds me. I have a constant flow of unique, creative ideas—I can’t wait to try them!”

• Make it deep by taking 30 minutes to follow through on an inspiration you’ve had. Have you thought about a new or different way of doing something? Start innovating—that’s how you get beyond the feeling of, “I’m stuck.”

• Make it real by imitating Lauren Ko’s habit of throwing your arms wide open to inspiration. Don’t leave your passion or side hustle on the sidelines. Slip it into your back pocket and take it with you. Next level inspiration is everywhere if you’re paying attention. Have you rolled out the welcome mat?