Student Leadership 501: Passion Sample

Day Three — Passion Can Look Crazy

"You have to have a lot of passion for what you're doing because it's so hard...if you don't, any rational person would give up." Steve Jobs

Passion sometimes looks insane to those who aren’t involved. Late nights, rejection, missed hangouts — who would willingly put themselves through all that for something that may or may not happen?

Walt Disney’s friends, family, and investors had to think he was a bit insane. The man wanted to buy swamp land and build a theme park on it. Unless you’re really into mud and mosquitoes, nothing about that sounds great. Yet Disney wasn’t scared of looking crazy because he saw the bigger picture. It’s reported that Disney often woke at 5:30 each morning, skipped out on certain vacations, and frequently worked through the night. Sowing seeds that will grow for generations to come can look (and feel) like sacrifice in the moment.

While Disney’s passion led him to draw and build, David’s passion once led him to dance… in the streets. In 2 Samuel 6:14-22, we find David simply overwhelmed by his love and awe of God to the point of actually dancing. This wasn’t the latest TikTok dance — David was just letting his passion for God shine through.

Apparently, David looked so crazy that the Bible says his wife, Michal, saw him and “despised him in her heart.” But when she confronted David about his behavior, David noted that for God, he would gladly embarrass himself.

David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. 2 Samuel 6:21-22a (NIV)

When you’re truly passionate about something, the opinions of others will take a backseat to your vision. Walt Disney said, “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”

Today, look back at the list you made of things you’re passionate about. Next to each passion, write down why you’re passionate about it. On days when prioritizing your passion seems hard, impossible, or even crazy, remember the fuel that fired you up in the first place.