Passion – An elixir for living

Over the years, I've written many times about the intensity that differentiates elite athletes and winners. Because AFM focuses on health and fitness, our examples have generally been of competitive performances, beating the odds, or overcoming extraordinary obstacles in order to demonstrate that great things could be accomplished when the results are desired bad enough. These inspirational and uplifting stories often proved that hard work and commitment could trump the luck of the draw.

Sheer will, even when coupled with intellectual commitment and a strong hand, is not always enough to win the day. One magical ingredient that always seems to be in the recipe for success, satisfaction, and contentment is passion. Some great tag lines speak to the critical nature that emotions and desire play in our lives. “LiveStrong” tells how to face the challenges of cancer and prevail; “Just do it” drives us to act; and “Be all that you can be” reminds us to stretch ourselves to our potential. But these are not intellectual directives; they are all about our attitudes and, more than that, they are designed to ignite our passion to act.

While passion has many orientations, its heart involves a shift in the intensity of our behavior. Passion is a kind of ignited emotional adrenalin that results in a surge of energy, creating change within us and those we touch. We see it in every aspect of our lives: sports, entertainment, play, work, and relationships. It’s never dull and its influence can be staggering.

Throughout my experiences, I’ve found that those with passion make the greatest contributions and the most impact. While not the only attribute at work, good things seem to happen when passion is partnered with other positive values. Folks with genuine passion are truly committed. They stay in the game until the end and, win or lose; they give it their best shot. They don’t whine, complain, or look for excuses; they just execute while maintaining a positive attitude. Their charisma attracts support, they lead by example, and they are just fun to be around.

Passion, an elixir that makes life interesting, is also a two-edged sword and, like adrenalin, needs to be managed in a positive way. We all have choices about how we want to live, and finding the passions that drive us makes our lives meaningful and a positive force for change. In this issue, we explore many passions, as varied and interesting as the wonderful people we are delighted to bring to our pages. We hope you enjoy all of it passionately.

Keep Austin Fit,

Lou Earle,
Publisher, CEO

PS: After a year and a half at Austin Fit Magazine, Melanie Moore, Editor in Chief, has left the company to pursue other interests. We want to thank Melanie for all her contributions to AFM and wish her all the very best in her new opportunity.

We are delighted and excited to announce that Leah Fisher Nyfeler, Managing Editor, has agreed to assume this critical position as our new Editor in Chief. Leah has a long history with fitness and is well respected in journalistic circles as well as our Austin fitness community. She has engaged in an impressive list of diverse events and fitness challenges here and elsewhere and is indeed passionate about health and fitness. We look forward to Leah’s vision and contributions as we continue to grow and improve AFM for the benefit of our loyal readers and wonderful advertising clients.