Do you ever felt stuck or bored with your life? Do you think about finding something that excites you, that gives you a sense of purpose and meaning? If this sounds familiar, if you want to find your passion, but you’re struggling to know how, this post is for you.
But first, we need to talk. If you want to find your passion, then you’re going to need to make a change. And you need to make it immediately. You need to change your language.
So many people expect to just stumble upon their passion. To find it, fully formed. They expect their passion to just show itself. And to come with clear instructions. But this isn’t how it happens. You don’t just stumble on your passion. It doesn’t come life-sized and wrapped with a bow.
So, instead of aiming to find your passion, think about discovering your passion. Think of it as an active process. One that happens over time, with trial and error. Effort and struggle. Courage and work. It doesn’t happen all at once. Though when you look at others living their passion, it looks like their passion has always been there. It looks like they’ve always been doing big things. But that’s a lie. A lie that keeps you stuck.
Passion has to be discovered. It’s an active process.
Ok, so now that we’re on the same page with wording, how do you discover your passion? What’s the secret to knowing what you love? To be honest, it’s pretty simple. Think about what you enjoy, what peaks your interest. Think about what gets your gears going, what you feel energized by doing. Now move toward that. Do that thing more.
Even if you’re not totally sure. Even if you don’t feel passionate right away. Start by identifying what interests you, what gets you kind of excited. And do more of that. Then, as you do more, you’ll learn more. You’ll gain more experience and more knowledge. You’ll learn what you like and don’t like. And you’ll discover interests you didn’t know you had. The more you do, the more you’ll learn. And the more you learn, the more your passion grows.
Now, let’s be honest. Discovering your passion isn’t easy. It’s scary. And anxiety provoking. Your brain will try to convince you that you have to figure it all out first. Your anxiety will try to convince you that you need to see all of the steps before you take the first one. But that is a lie. You’ll never find your passion if you wait until you’re certain. You’ll never find your passion if you wait until you’re confident. You’ve got to take a step, even if you’re not entirely sure.
You’ll never find your passion if you wait until you’re certain. Or if you wait until you’re confident.
Let’s look an example. Pretend that you’re visiting a beautiful national park. And when you get there, you’re asked to find the most beautiful hike in the park. But you’ve never been to this park. You don’t really know what you’re doing or where you’re going. Are you going to stand at the start of the trail, without taking a step, and expect yourself to know the most beautiful hike? No. How could you? This is new. You don’t know which part of the forest is best or what the views will be like. The answer isn’t going to fall in your lap, at the start of the trail. You’re going to have to start hiking and learn as you go.
Discovering your passion is the same way. Start where you are. See what interests you. And then move in that direction. As you do, keep your eyes peeled. Continue to pay attention. See what excites you. And do more of that, refining your direction as you go.
Stop waiting for all the answers up front. Stop thinking you’re going to magically find your passion. It’s not going to be handed to you, fully formed. Discovering your passion is about taking action. Moving. Engaging in trial and error. Seeing what works and what doesn’t. What you like and what you don’t. Keep doing that, over and over. And with each step and each turn, your passion will grow and the lines will fill in.
So stop waiting, and start doing. Your passion and your happiness depend on it! PS: Ready to try something but not feeling confident you can do it? Check out this post, and get the boost you absolutely need!
