“Cultivating Passion”
Hello, writer! I hope you persevered last week in your writing! This week, we’re going to examine an area where our writing can be weak. That area can often be in our goal, motivation, and conflict (GMC)! Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction having a strong goal, motivation, and conflict for your main character or message is critical. We’ll take a look at this over two weeks in order to hone in on both fiction and non-fiction applications, beginning with fiction. But before we do, let’s look at those who had a clear grasp of their goal, motivation, and conflict.
GMC in History
Abraham Lincoln is an excellent example of a man who had a goal fueled by a passionate motivation that helped him stay the course through great conflict. From his earliest forays into politics, Lincoln had a goal to see slavery eliminated from the United States, stating boldly in a debate long before his bid for he presidency that “ this government cannot continue permanently half-slave and half-free.” This goal propelled Lincoln to the White House and kept him anchored through the tumultuous Civil War, until his assassination on the eve of its victory. Abraham Lincoln’s clear goal and steadfast motivation, not only won a war, but changed the trajectory of our nation forever.
GMC in the Bible
The prophet Jeremiah is another great example of a man whose unflagging passion (motivation) caused him to endure much conflict for the sake of his goal. Tasked by God as a youth to speak His words to a nation that would reject both God and him, Jeremiah kept returning again and again with God’s message of love to a people who spurned and attacked him. Indeed, it was Jeremiah who said, God’s words were like a fire in his bones that he could not keep in! Though Israel ultimately went into captivity, Jeremiah’s words helped prepare them for their return to their homeland and have brought comfort and sparked repentance in God’s people for centuries since.
GMC in Life
For me, I experienced strong motivation toward a goal during the two years I led a group in my church. I had become a leader in this group because the leader before me prayed for God to raise up the next one. Though fearful, I knew–as he exhorted the group–that the leader God was raising up was me.
Now, at beginning of my second and final year to lead, I was shocked when leadership above me proposed a switch from our prayer-based leader selection model to a nominating committee. My spirit immediately resisted the idea, though it was explained that the nominating committee was “just in case” people didn’t step up. After being told I was free to choose the committee or seeking God to raise leaders through prayer as we had in the past, I strongly chose to pray, insisting God would not fail to raise up new leaders. Those above me graciously accepted my choice, saying that a committee would be started after my leadership year was over.
That year of prayerful seeking was the only year that willing and able leaders were raised up months in advance of the leadership change. My strong goal, had been to pray, and my burning motivation was to prove God was faithful. He more than proved Himself. Sadly, the year after I left, the group moved to a committee-based selection anyway. But that year after I stepped down was one of the most vibrant—until God called his raised-up leaders away early—and allowed the people to rely on the committee they had chosen.
GMC in Your Life
You see, writer, the lack of a goal and conviction to back it can be just as dramatically life-altering as having one. Here, let me prove it to you…
- Where there is no vision, the people perish… – Proverbs 29:18
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. – Proverbs 23:7a - Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. – Habakkuk 2:2
- …but the people who do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. – Daniel 11:3
- Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. – John 14:12
You see, writer, our success in life is closely connected to the strength of our goals—to the source of them—and to the strength of our motivation to see these goals through. It was even the same for Jesus, who “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) What we set our sight on is where we will end up.
So, how does this apply to your story? When your characters, protagonists (and even antagonists) have a clear goal, they come alive and draw us in. Passion is one of the most attractive things in the world. It attracted me to my husband! And it attracted people to Jesus and still does! There is a reason His death is also called His “passion.”
When our characters have a clear goal, motivation, and conflict, their passion also captures the hearts of readers and clearly conveys the deep truths God’s put into your heart and wrapped inside your story. Often these truths bubble up in surprising ways simply as a result of your character’s passion and conviction to follow it in spite of all odds.
Where to Start with GMC
So if, as you read this, you realize your character’s goal, motivation, and conflict are weak, here are some ways you can start strengthening them.
- Ask why. Begin asking yourself (and your characters) why they must have their goal. Why they cannot fail. For every answer they give, keep asking why—like an investigative reporter—until you dig down to their true motivations. Ones that stir your heart as well as theirs.
- Dig into their history. Explore why your character has become the way they are. What traumas and relationships have pushed them to doggedly pursue this particular goal? Often their defining moments will give you a much greater insight into their true goals and motives.
- Engage in some character therapy. Pretend you are a psychiatrist trying to get to the bottom of your character’s dysfunction. Play devil’s advocate and answer your own questions as your character would. This is even better if a friend helps!
- Add conflict. Make sure that what stands in the way of your character’s goal makes their success impossible. Overcoming impossibility is the only chance our characters have to truly grow and face their fears. Also, it is the impossible that captures readers. And it’s always the impossible that demonstrates the heart and power of God.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. I encourage you this week to try one or several of these exercises. It may seem like extra work, but as you’ve seen with Lincoln and Jeremiah and myself, passion is always worth the price. We never know how God will move in and through us, when we let ourselves be ignited with a fire for the things and people He’s put on our heart.
What we do know is that God honors passion. He even says of His fulfillment of His own word Isaiah 37:32 “…the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.” In Song of Solomon 8:6, He likens His love to a blazing fire and a mighty flame. And in Romans 12:11, He charges us to keep our own zeal hot. (Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.) Why?
Because you never know whose life will be ignited by your flame. It’s more than worth the time to make sure your characters (and you!) burn bright.
#passion #goals #character #EveryWriterWriting
