Five Ways To Find Your Passion in 2018
by Kristen Duever, Career Researcher and Writer, Careers by Design
When you go to work, do you feel like you are just going through the motions?
Maybe your work hasn’t excited you in years.
Perhaps you’re not really passionate about what you do, but you’ve got to earn a paycheque and support your family.
Maybe it even feels like you’re too old, or it’s too late to find your passion.
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t jump out of bed in the morning, excited and eager to go to your job and do work that you find meaningful. In fact, according to some studies, more than 80% of workers dislike their jobs. How sad!
But what if you could find your passion? How would that change your life? What if we lived in a world where 80% of people loved their careers? How would that change the world we live in and how we relate to one another?
The good news is that it is not too late. You can still look within and find the things that excite you – and take action.
If you’re ready to truly explore what motivates you and are ready to take the next step, here are five things you can do to help you find your passion.
1. Investigate the passions that have always been there.
The movie The Legend of Baggar Vance, does a great job of illustrating how we naturally find passions as children but somehow forget them as adults.
In the movie, a mystical caddy by the name of Baggar Vance helps a down on his luck golfer. In one scene Baggar says, “Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing. Something we were born with. Something that can’t be taught to you or learned. Something to be remembered.”
Think back to what excited you when you were young?.
Was it building things? Writing stories? Playing Monopoly? Rallying your friends to go on some adventure?
More often than not, our earliest fond memories are great clues as to what excites us. It may sound like a cliché but being a detective here can really generate good ideas about who you really are and what your purpose might be.
It’s important to get that list of ideas started and then continue with the other ideas here to expand on them.
2. Get a coach or mentor.
The words “find your passion” sound like common sense advice and there is a perception that it should be easy. But this isn’t always the case. The prospect of leaving a well-paying, “secure” job to follow you dreams can be scary. Others might say you’re crazy. You might even feel crazy.
A good career coach or business mentor however, will help you weather the storm of self-doubt and criticism. They can help you brainstorm and discover what truly motivates you. They can push you to do things you might not be able to do on your own. They can help you achieve the right mindset and give you strategies to help you reach your goals.
Just remember that if it was easy, you (along with the 80% of folks who aren’t happy at their jobs) would have done this already!
3. Surround yourself with passionate people.
It is hard to be passionate about anything when you are surrounded by others who have given up on their dreams.
Entrepreneur and author, Jim Rohn said that “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” Are you spending time with the right people?
You can start by making a list of people in your life who are truly passionate. If you don’t have people like this, seek them out by joining a networking or mastermind group. Even studying famous passionate people and reading their biographies can help to inspire you.
As you spend time with passionate people, it will become easier to find your own passions. Why is this?
People who genuinely have passion about what they do love telling people about it. This can be very helpful to learn clues about how they got there and how they changed their situation. When you’re uncertain about your next steps, allow yourself to be inspired and really listen to those you admire. In this way, your subconscious will have the tools it needs to do it’s work and generate ideas and possibilities for your own situation.
4. Take action.
Maybe you’ve got an inkling about what your passions are but haven’t quite figured out how to turn them into a career. Don’t let that stop you!
Start by exploring your interests in your spare time. Read. Take a class. Volunteer. Connect with other people who are already doing what you think you want to do.
The old adage is very true in that you’ll never change your situation if you don’t take steps to do so. Taking a small step before you have all the answers will help you overcome the fear of following your heart.
5. Don't give up! Persist, persist, persist.
If you’ve been stuck in a rut for any length of time, finding your passion may not come as easily as you might like. You might think your passion lies in one direction only to try it and hear that little voice inside you that says, “No. This isn’t it.” And that’s ok. Try something else.
You may find that over time, a passion fades and a new one emerges. That’s ok too. Take the time to play with and explore possibilities. You may have many passions over your lifetime.
Make no mistake, finding your passions isn’t always easy. But if put in the time and effort to find a career that is truly fulfilling, it will be worth it.
Contact a Careers by Design coach and let them help you gather your courage and fulfill your potential.
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