Steve Irwin will continue to serve, if you will take notice

Some thoughts I had thinking about “Crocodile Hunter”, Steve Irwin after his passing.

I have admired him for some time and now that I know more about him, that thinking has just increased.

Yesterday, the “Discovery Channel” replayed a series of shows about Steve done previously, which give a lot of detail about his life.

As was his custom, he was very open about himself, who he was and insight about his parents and how he grew up, very worth seeing if you were at all interested in him.

Learning about Steve and his life, you quickly realize that he was allowed and actually assisted in fully immersing himself in what he loved.

When he was about 10 years old he was out with his father hunting for ‘crocs’ for their new zoo, when young Steve jumps into the water latching onto a crocodile that was larger than he was, refusing to let go. His father pulled both Steve and the ‘croc’ into the boat together! It was a small crocodile, but it was pulling young Steve under the water.

Now some of you might be thinking, what an irresponsible parent his father was. I can see your perspective.

But let’s look at it a little differently.

He was allowing Steve to grow into his passion with out developing the mentally concocted fears, doubts and worries that so many of us end up with by the time we are ‘adults’ looking to find our way.

Steve developed his ‘way’ as he grew up and his passion was allowed to flourish.

The wisdom of his parents was to see Steve’s interests and allow him to follow them.

Most parents would not get an 8+ foot Python for a 6-year-old!

Most parents would be spending their time trying to get him to conform to their ‘acceptable’ behavior.

Not too loud, not too rambunctious, not too off the beaten path.

There is no doubt, after seeing him in action, that Steve was not totally passionate and fully committed to what he was doing.

He was energetic, intense and focused when he was working, of course it was what he loved.

How many adults can say that about what they are doing?

No, I don’t mean to say that everybody has to be as animated as Steve, but what about his level of passion.

Steve’s chosen trade would be considered extreme by most, since he was putting himself in physical danger regularly, most fields of endeavor are not quite this potentially dangerous.

But how can you relate to the passion, the drive, the focus and the commitment that he exuded?

Aside from Steve’s mission with animals, we can all learn from how he lived his life.

His zest for life in general and intensity for what he was doing specifically go hand in hand, and can be used as a gauge for you and your life.

Think about how Steve Irwin lived his life. What about that appeals to you?

What would it feel like to have this kind of intensity and passion for something?

What are you passionate about? Can you become more involved in it?

Can you alter how you participate in it, to increase your level of excitement?

Do you have fears, doubts and worries that hold you back?

What can you do about them?

When you are excited with what you do, it rubs off on everything else in your life.

How about your children, how do you look at what they are interested in? Do you help them or hinder them for your convenience?

Steve felt his mission was to help people come to better understand and appreciate wild animals, as he felt people would strive to protect what they cared about.

What is your mission, and how can you get passionate about it?

How would Steve do it?

Just as Steve learned about human behavior studying animals, we can learn by studying other people.

I suggest keeping your eye out for when Discovery Channel replays the series on his life and that you watch it if you want to get some ideas on living your life to the fullest.

Now. . . take a moment to be thankful for Steve and what he has done and send your thoughts of love to his wife, children, parents and others who were close as they deal with his passing.

Keep growing,

John

“If we are not passionate about expanding our consciousness, there’s a good chance our narrowness will destroy us.” — Tijn Touber

“Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing; And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.” — Kahlil Gibran

“A man/woman should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. — James Allen

“Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can

immediately command when we focus all of our resources on

mastering a single area of our lives.” — Anthony Robbins

“And I’m really grateful to have something that I’m passionate about and that I think is profoundly important.” — Marian Wright Edelman