‘You owe it to us all to get on with what you’re good at.’ ~W. H. Auden

By Leo Babauta

Yesterday as I walked among the mass of humanity near Union Square in downtown San Francisco, a man with a megaphone and a “Trust Jesus” sign started preaching the good word to the crowd.

He was ignored of course, but what caught my attention was his radiant smile, and his evident energy and enthusiasm.

Say what you want about him (he’s possibly a little crazy), this man was so much more excited about something than any of the holiday shoppers walking boredly by him.

He was inspired, moved to get up on a soapbox and do something!

How many of us can claim to be that excited about anything we do? If you don’t get excited by what you do, why not? Is it something we can change?

I can honestly say I am excited by what I do. Not to the point where I’m screaming about it on a street corner (though you can argue what I do here on Zen Habits isn’t much different than that), but excited nonetheless.

What most people are missing is inspiration, and the conviction that they are doing something good, that might change the lives of others.

This week, with the spirit of these wonderful holidays all around you, find inspiration.

Find something that moves you.

Then go out and do something good.

I promise you, it will change your life.