Creative Ways to Find Your Passion
You’ve already tried listing out your likes and dislikes. You’ve revisited the past to see what used to interest you. You’ve made lists and still are not sure just what your passion is.
What’s wrong?
It could be you’re taking the wrong approach. If you truly want to find your passion, try these creative ways guaranteed to help you figure it out:
Start Over
Anytime you think something is difficult or you’re going to fail, you’re already deciding you’re not going to get it done. If passion-seeking has become an unpleasant chore, you’re not likely to have much success. Start over with a better mindset. Tell yourself you DO have passions, and you’re going to figure them out. Need help? Surround yourself with people who already know what they’re passionate about for some added inspiration.
Find the Evidence
Everyone is passionate about something, even you. What have you been excited about recently? What things capture your attention? By paying attention to these bursts of happiness, you’re going to start seeing the thread of passion.
Create Links
Once you’ve started noticing things, it’s time to look for a way to put them together. For example, you love helping people and can’t get enough of working outdoors and creating things with your hands. Look for ways to combine these things. In this example, you might want to try building houses with Habitat for Humanity.
Pull Back
Sometimes we try to monetize our passions. We knew what they were, once, and turned them into the day job. Only now they’re not fun. If you’re hunting passion because you feel like you lost passion you once had for something, you might want to ask if you took a wrong turn. It might be better to keep your passion a hobby (even if it still makes money) and not a career.
Feel the Fear
Are you perhaps holding back from your passion? If you’re stalled out, fear could be getting in the way. Take some time to examine your emotions about this process. Where are you feeling this hesitation? Why do you think you stall out there? Understanding your fears will help to erase the roadblocks and get you back on the right track quickly.
Jump Anyway
There comes a time when we just need to act—no more fear or procrastination. Passion comes from trying new things and seeing what you like. Jump in and do things. Be brave. Make mistakes. See where the world takes you and what interests arise from these experiences.
Never think passion isn’t there, even if you’re having trouble finding it. Sometimes it gets a little buried, but a little work will always bring it to light.
