It’s not always easy to find out what your passion is. Some people have to try quite a few new things before they discover what captivates and intrigues them. But once you do, you’ll be the happier for it.
I knew what my passion was since I was young, or at least one of them.
Writing has been a major love of mine since I was a young girl.
However, it wasn’t until recently that I began diving into it. I would write here and there but never found the motivation to go further with it. Years ago, I attempted to write the first chapter of a book. I failed miserably and gave up. That irked me because it was a dream of mine to write something worth reading. So I started blogging.
Then, going years into future, I started something called NanoWrimo. There were thousands all over the world participating in this challenge to write 50,000 words in a month. That’s a short novel. Talk about motivation! Some days would result in complete and utter frustration due to my low count of words and slow progress – but that’s just what is was – progress! I was writing, and now with a little push! Other days I felt full of ideas and it seemed my fingers couldn’t type quick enough to get out all that I wanted to write. It totally just depended. Either way, I refused to give up. I had to remove the quitting option because I knew there was no other way to achieve my dreams. Thats how someone feels when you have a true passion for something.
So…
How do you find something you’re passionate about?
After doing all my research and comparing these steps to personal experiences and those of other’s, I came to make this short step by step list:
First and foremost:
1. DO NOT PRESUME THAT YOUR JOB HAS TO BE YOUR PASSION
I work in a retail pharmacy, and while I do love it, medicine is not my passion, or else I would pursue pharmacy school (which is a lot of years!)
2. Process of elimination.
What do you hate doing? If you hate doing it, it’s probably not going to be your passion. If you hate heights, you’re probably not going to be a pilot.
3. Remember what you loved doing as a child.
Was it painting? Or skateboarding? Now I do realize there are phases people go through, but remember the things that stuck with you for more than a few months until the next best thing came. Explore those passions again. But don’t just stop there…
4. TRY NEW THINGS
Referring to my comments under #3, just because you didn’t do it as a child does NOT MEAN you may not fall in love with it and it become your greatest passion. Some things you don’t discover as a child and your passion for it will grow as you grow.
LASTLY:
5. Discern between a hobby and a passion.
A passion is something you continuously come back to. You’re drawn to it.
A hobby is more of a passive interest. You try something out, and you enjoy doing it for some time, maybe on the side or every once in awhile, but it’s not something that is burning on the inside of you.
Skateboarding is typically considered a hobby. Unless you’re Tony Hawk, who went further than just being a great skateboarder but created skate boarding video games that became very popular and sold really well.
If you can discover where your passion(s) are, you can know what steps to take to further maybe a career that you can incorporate it in.
If you are passionate about children, become a teacher. Or become a nurse who works at a children’s hospital.
If your passion is weight lifting and going to the gym: (💪🏻) Consider personal training.
Braden Thompson states in his Life Hack article, “Passion is an emotion to be acted upon. Without action, passion yields no worthwhile results. Passion is the fuel in the fire of action. When you have passion for something, you love it even when you hate it.”
And I whole heartedly agree!
My best friend is in the nursing program. Just the other day she came to me and explained that her professor had her in tears after class. She had made several mistakes and felt as if she had failed miserably. You know what I have found out about her? She is truly passionate about nursing. I have seen the struggles she’s faced and the time she has put into the program, through tears and stress, sleepless nights and early exams. I know she will do anything to make it to the finish line. It’s her passion. She would say it isn’t easy, in fact, it is the hardest thing she’s ever done. So why would someone want to put themselves in situations and careers that arise such emotions?
Because even when they hate it, they love it.
They love the end result. Everyday my friend is reminded of why she pursued nursing. She loves it… during the bad days and during the good days.
You know you are passion about something when you are willing to push through tough times and hard situations to become greater at whatever that thing is.
That thing you love doing… it won’t matter if you do it free of costs, you will be happy to do it just for the pleasure of doing it.
Your passions should always stimulate and challenge you.
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Sara Felty 