on life, ambitions, and dreams

One Thing Laura Kimball Doesn’t Need: An Uninteresting Way to Save the World

Note from Laura: This is a guest post (the first ever on lamiki!) by Sam Davidson. I first met Sam online and have been reading his blog and perspective on life for the past year. He’s a writer, entrepreneur, and a man with a lot to say, 50 of which he shares in his new book, 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need, and I’m excited to be a stop on the 50 Things Blog Tour.

Readers of this blog know that Laura looks for ways to make a difference. But, she doesn’t limit her volunteerism to some of the most common ways people lend a hand. She likes to take part in things that are new and different. Need Proof? Check out what she’s done with Workstock, or take a look at her sidebar and learn more about the work of Jolkona.

What this highlights can be summed up in one word: passion. And there’s a lesson here for all of us: we can make a hell of a difference if we know what excites us. Laura’s figured it out and bases her volunteer experiences on it. But what about you? What is it you care about?

As a volunteer, you’ll be more useful and make a more direct impact if you’re excited about the opportunity to give. This is why Laura doesn’t need a way to save the world that’s not innovative or fun; it would be meaningless to her. Chances are, you’re much the same.

So, I’ll ask again: what is it you care about?

If you’re not sure, I’ll keep pushing, this time with an excerpt from my new book, 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need. I hope this question can help you tap into something deeper and help you discover something you may be passionate about.

What do you value?

Understanding what it is you treasure and then making decisions in light of those priorities will enable you to stay on course when it comes to defining and then acting on your calling. While value systems and even ethics can differ from one person to the next, making sure that you have an understanding of your own system will help you discover what’s important, what’s worth spending time on, and where you’re willing to make a stand – the three components of a clearly defined answer to this question.

Focusing deeply on this question will help you arrive at a place where you know exactly how you want to make a difference. Then, everything else can go by the wayside – your life doesn’t need it.

More things (actually in the book) that Laura doesn’t need:
#20 – Boring hobbies
#35 – Bucket lists
#44 – Complaints without action

Sam Davidson is a writer, entrepreneur, and dreamer who believes that the world needs more passionate people. To help people find and live their passion, he has written 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need. He is the co-founder of Cool People Care and Proof Branding, and lives in Nashville with his wife and daughter.

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4 Responses

  1. Hey Laura, nnI really like that picture of you and your mantra. I think I’m going to attempt to follow a Crossfit regime… can you post more on this topic? You are motivating me! Meanwhile, what’s this little tidbit I see on autocross on your twitter? What are you driving?

    1. Hi Madeline,nnThanks for stopping by and the shout-out on Twitter. CrossFit is amazing. I’ve written about it quite a bit (http://lamiki.com/category/crossfit/) and will continue to write about it in the future–it’s a huge part of my life not to show up here :)nnMy biggest recommendation is to find a gym. There you’ll meet dedicated coaches and start building a community. That’s what keeps me going back.nnI autocross a Mazda Miata. We have a 10th anniversary edition that I absolutely love, though lately I’ve been driving whatever car my husband and his co-driver races :)nnDo you race?

  2. Hey Laura, nnI really like that picture of you and your mantra. I think I’m going to attempt to follow a Crossfit regime… can you post more on this topic? You are motivating me! Meanwhile, what’s this little tidbit I see on autocross on your twitter? What are you driving?

    1. Hi Madeline,nnThanks for stopping by and the shout-out on Twitter. CrossFit is amazing. I’ve written about it quite a bit (http://lamiki.com/category/crossfit/) and will continue to write about it in the future–it’s a huge part of my life not to show up here :)nnMy biggest recommendation is to find a gym. There you’ll meet dedicated coaches and start building a community. That’s what keeps me going back.nnI autocross a Mazda Miata. We have a 10th anniversary edition that I absolutely love, though lately I’ve been driving whatever car my husband and his co-driver races :)nnDo you race?

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