Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass....

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning how to dance in the rain. (author unknown.)

Financial advisors say to hold for now - an indefinite "now." My vet says he feels like he's "just waiting for the other shoe to drop." A nonprofit executive friend says she's unhappy in her job and would like to find another one but "there is nothing out there so I'll just hold on." Another friend who is a board member of a nonprofit says they have withdrawn from everything and are just sitting still trying not to spend money. A community foundation colleague says their travel and training budget is totally eliminated.

At the same time, I know 3 executive directors who have all established new nonprofits in the last 3 - 5 years. What a time for launching new concepts! The reality is that they are succeeding when the economy would indicate otherwise. They are in hot pursuit of missions that they each visualized, conceptualized, and wrestle with everyday. They do not consider themselves successful and are surprised when I call them leaders or visionaries.

How can they be so focused on growth - and be growing - when the economy says we're supposed to be contracting and withdrawing? What drives them so fiercely that they don't have time to pause in negativity? What keeps them going when others all around them want to curl up? Interestingly enough, they each talk about curling up...and they don't b/c they're too busy visualizing another opportunity. They each describe financial difficulties....with an attitude almost of humor that another hurdle has had the audacity to present itself in front of them....and then they proceed to skim over it seemingly oblivious that it's what they're doing.

They don't see themselves as leaders. They each talk about a vision. A vision that fills a huge gap in the quality of life we can have. The questions they bring to me are: "Why am I doing this? I'm crazy aren't I?" "How in the world am I going to get this done?" "Where am I going to find the energy, resources, answers to do this?" And the best one of all: "I've never done this before."

I'm baffled every time by their questions. I don't know where or how they're going to do what they do. All I know is that they get it done....and the economy says it shouldn't be happening. Because we're supposed to be in contraction mode, right?

I think the answer is passion. I think each one of them is inspired by a vision larger than life itself. And I think each one of them knows down inside that a force stronger than anything is driving them forward. I believe it's a spiritual journey for them.

They are innovative. Creative. Clear. Poised. Talk to any one of them and their intentions are so well defined that you can see through their eyes an achievable goal. They don't see this and I do. I want to expose it, and share it with others who may have lost their inspiration. Who may be focusing on loss, and dread, and the negative side of "what if". Who may be wondering what they should be doing other than working on a nonprofit mission.

Nonprofit people hear different music playing. It's why they work in the field. I've tried to get off this path several times and I'm always turned back to it. An executive recruiter friend says, "Most people don't come out of college with the goal of a career based on other people's benevolence. There's a reason they choose the nonprofit field."

So for all of the people who choose to listen to the different music.......now's your chance to dance.

What these 3 executive directors have to share is priceless...we'll just have to draw it out of them.