“What is to give light must endure the burning.” ~ Viktor Frankl
Yesterday I posted about not delaying our actions because we have more than we think we do, and what we have right now can do a lot of good for others. Sometimes, it’s harder to give of ourselves than we’d like it to be. I want to teach more yoga classes and I want to get a pilot of Innovation Station up and running. Both are taking more time to come to fruition than I’d like them to. Finding the right partners and carving out the time in our schedules can take a bit of fancy footwork. Sometimes it does take a bit of patience to find the right opportunity, and it’s important to keep searching.
I’ve been thinking of the Viktor Frankl quote as I’ve worked my way through Harold Ford Jr.’s book More Davids Than Goliaths. It’s an interesting read, particularly with mid-term elections next Tuesday. In his quest to serve, Mr. Ford met with many roadblocks. Yes, there were great victories but there were great defeats, too. And even in those defeats, he found shards of light that he could piece together. His expectations sometimes fell short, but he never had an ounce of regret about his very long journey.
The same should be true of our quest to serve, whatever form that takes. Finding the right place and right time to put our gifts to work is not always an easy task, but I can promise you it’s worth it. We have to take some wrong turns sometimes to truly appreciate the right opportunity when it appears. Don’t let this discourage you. Take a cue from Mr. Ford – there are more Davids than Goliaths, more people who want to help us than stand in our way. The key to finding them is continuously being willing to put ourselves out there, to never give up, and appreciate every victory, large and small.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
“What is to give light must endure the burning.” ~ Viktor Frankl
Christa Avampato 