We all have fear inside us, but we have to look inside ourselves and know that we are stronger and bigger than our fears, and we can conquer them to make ourselves happier and more successful.
Another important message from the book is that even Michelangelo had to begin somewhere and allow his passion to grow and flourish. He did not create the Sistine Chapel as his first work, he had to grow to it and become a master of his craft. This is true in the business world as well. All companies do not begin as Microsoft, and do not have Bill Gates at the helm, and even Bill Gates had to start somewhere. We all have gifts and passions that we need to allow to nurture and grow, and we all have strengths that will come out over time. We cannot start out by expecting to be perfect; we have to have experience and knowledge to reach our full potential. Many people expect perfection and grand ideas from the start, and if they do not succeed, then they feel like failures. This section of the book shows that we must have patience with ourselves...
We need to look inside ourselves and see our own strengths and how to capitalize on them to be the most successful and passionate as we can be about our careers and lives.
Perhaps the only thing I did not like about this book is that the stranger encourages Tom to quit his job and seek his passion. That may work for Tom, who can afford it, but it does not apply to millions of people reading this book. They cannot just change their lives like that, it takes time and planning, and this might give some people the wrong idea, and perhaps even set them up to fail. I believe in following my passions, but I believe in doing it responsibly, because of the others that depend on me and my own aspirations. I want to be happy and passionate about what I do, but not by just quitting my job and trying a new career just like that.
References
Widener, Chris. The Angel Inside: Michelangelo's Secrets for Following Your Passion and Finding the Work You Love. New York: Random House, 2007.
