Each of us carries a unique responsibility to unearth a passion that burns bright within us, as it serves as the ultimate compass for our most meaningful work. By identifying what truly drives our spirit, we gain the clarity needed to shape a legacy project that is both authentic and impactful. This pursuit isn’t just about personal fulfillment; it’s about harnessing that internal fire to build something enduring that resonates far beyond our own lives.

Passion comes from the Latin passio which means suffering and endurance. Following your passion prioritizes changing meaning over avoiding discomfort.  

• The Japanese discuss ikigai, as "reason for being" found at the intersection of what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.  

• Sweden's: lagom provides the framework for sustaining it through "just the right amount"—a philosophy of balance and moderation in work and life. 

• Raison d’être (French): A direct linguistic parallel meaning "reason for being," used to describe the core justification for someone's existence or a project's purpose.

• Aristotle defined eudaimonia as "human flourishing," as not a fleeting feeling of happiness but an active state of living virtuously and fulfilling one's potential for excellence.

• Kincentricity: This worldview, common among many indigenous American tribes, posits that humans, animals, plants, and even landforms are kin. Purpose is found through reciprocity—the responsibility to give back to the community and nature in equal measure to what you take.

Harvard study on happiness, psychology of shared identity research from the Greater Good Science Center, and neuroscience's neural similarity benifiits point to human connection and meaning as a place to consider as you select a legacy project.

The Harvard Study of Adult Development, research on psycology of shared identity from the Greater Good Science Center, and the proven health benefits of neural similarity all point to one truth: human connection and collective meaning are the essential foundations for any enduring legacy project.

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love"

~Rumi

May we all be so blessed as to find our passions!

Best,

Hajira Buser