AtQ – What have you always wanted?

Digging deeper

What have you always wanted?

In my recent conversation with Kevin Adler the conversation went a few different ways. We talked about his journey, current work, and his approach to what can be a very challenging pursuit. One thing that surfaced was a lifelong desire that seemed to undergird his current work. When asked about any shift that may have happened in him to open the door for his current work, Kevin said that there was indeed a huge shift, and “I think what was not a shift, and what was there from early, is a desire to see people and embrace people as an extension of my family.”

In the world of personal development, we are often searching for the moments of growth. We pursue the shift. We think that in order for things to get better, things must be different. However, sometimes the deepest of desires, those that were seeded early on in our lives – and have somehow remained within us – can hold a key. Inquiring about such things begins with asking this question:

It strikes me that our deepest desires can get over-run by doubt, disregard, and shifting priorities. Our deepest desires can take a back seat to the momentum of life that find ourselves swimming in. We may say, “That will have to wait.” Or the less confrontational, “Not yet.” These statements speak to the reality of attention and timing when seeking new life. We do what we can towards the goals that we have but cannot ensure the outcomes without instituting a kind of imposition on others. So, we set to work on the things we can within ourselves – awareness, thinking, action, developments of habits, and more.

However, this approach undermines the reality of our related context.