How to find and ignite your passion
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you either feel that haven’t found your passion in life yet, or you’re uncertain about it.
Motivational guru’s talk a lot about ‘finding your purpose’ and ‘following your passion’. However: if you’ve been waiting for a lightening bolt moment where you suddenly realise what your passion is, you may be left disappointed.
Having one strong passion is not needed to live a happy life! You may have many passions that come and go.
A passion is developed over time
For example:
A young boy takes an interest in football. His parents take him to matches. As he grows, he plays with his friends and gets encouragement from teachers, coaches and other relatives. He becomes good at it, keeps challenging himself to perform better, his passion grows, and he becomes GREAT at it. By the time he reaches adulthood, he’s good enough to go pro.
Take the same boy, but imagine his family aren’t into sports, and he rarely watches or plays football. The interest is always there, but it isn’t cultivated and he never becomes truly passionate. Perhaps by adulthood he even becomes disinterested in football altogether.
So you see: it’s very much about your experiences and exposure to a topic that cultivates a passion. Usually, it also requires hard work to build skill in the topic you’re passionate about, it’s rare to have a natural talent.
Help! I don’t have a passion!
Don’t worry: you’re not alone. A lot of people go through life without even thinking about this stuff, so the fact you’re here and reading this is a fantastic first step.
Here are some questions to ask yourself. Grab a notebook or journal and write down your answers:
What do you love? What lights you up? What makes you feel energised?
What would need to happen, in order for you to feel you lived a satisfying life?
What did you love to do as a child, and what did you want to be when you grew up?
What are your best qualities, what are you good at?
If you could have anything you want, what would you wish for?
What are your beliefs, ethics, values and standards?
What changes would you like to see in the world?
What have you always wanted to learn more about? What’s held you back from learning it so far?
If money and time were no object, what would you do?
How would you like to impact others in a positive way?
All this requires making a little time for YOU. It can be easy to brush off your own interests, especially if you’re in a relationship or raising children. See if you can make time, even if just in short intervals, to dedicate to YOU, and how you’re going to live a happy, fulfilling life.
Finding your purpose
Purpose is usually linked to the wellbeing of others, and a sense of your higher self. It’s the reason you’re here: living this life, doing what you’re doing.
When we feel we’re living in alignment with our true purpose and making a positive impact on the world around us, we have a great sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. Purpose is what drives you.
Purpose does not have to be about changing the whole world, but having a positive impact on your own little corner of it. So, for example:
You’re passionate about cats … and you volunteer at a rescue centre
You’re passionate about martial arts … and you teach kids karate on weekends
You’re passionate about painting … and you become an art therapist
You’re passionate about human rights … and you find a job at Amnesty International
Your sense of purpose may also centre around the rights and freedoms you have. It’s a huge driver for me to think about my options vs my great-grandmothers (and those who came before her) - or of women living in less liberal countries. I owe it to those women to make the most of the opportunities available to me.
Or it could be that you want to set a great example to your children, of what a successful, passion-driven human looks like.
Find your purpose and it will take your passion to a whole new level.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed with all this, and not sure what your next steps should be: Life Coaching may help. Read more about that, here >