Back in elementary school, I had one of those cheap and simple calculators. It had solar panels on it to for power. After you turned it on, there was not really an off button and just stayed on. But if you placed you hand over the panels, it finally turned off, until you moved your hand to let the light back in again.
A lot of people, especially youth development professionals, are powered by passion. And that is great. It will get you far. It will get you through long hours and low pay, until it doesn’t. There will come a point when something comes along and forces it off. What is going to keep you going when the light of your passion dims?
I don’t have the answer for you, other than to say that passion isn’t enough. You are not solar powered. You can’t rely on the light of your passion to get you through it all. You need support. And if you are the one running the show, listen. Your people can’t get by on passion along. They need support. As much as you might work to develop a supportive environment for the kids you work with, spend just as much time making sure the adults feel fully supported as well.
What is it that powers you? What is your light source that keeps you going in this work? And who is capable of dimming it?
The Sideline Fix 
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