How To Find Your Passion
One of the most interesting things that I have discovered, at least personally, is that passion can be a fickle thing. One moment, your mind is teeming with ideas and concepts, you’re excited to get out of bed each morning…and then…it fizzles out, and you’re on your way to look for something else that can make you feel that feeling again. It can be addictive after a while as you find yourself on a constant search for the next big thing while simultaneously leaving behind unfinished projects (i.e., books, blankets, songs, etc.)
How does this look like in the professional realm? You might find yourself excited to start a new role that will have you expanding your skillset. In the beginning, you are ecstatic about joining a new team, getting access to new software, having the ability to work on new projects. Still, about 6 months into your new role, after you have finally developed a rhythm and grasp on your daily tasks, the feeling of unsatisfaction slowly starts to creep in. You find yourself browsing other opportunities.
The difference between the personal and professional realm is that you can’t just pick up and put down your career. There is this thing called eating that most of us like to do regularly, and the thought of sleeping in a warm bed every night is equally appealing. However, identifying the passions that move us is easier said than done.
Personal Reflection
I was at a point professionally and personally where I could not pinpoint what it was that I wanted to do with my life; I just knew that I wanted more. For a while, I had no idea what that more consisted of; I just wanted to be happy.
I spent months just looking back on my life and trying to pinpoint the exact moments when I experienced bliss, peace, and joy. When I was younger, I recalled how I used to buy random people ice cream for lunch or help someone fix their tie that fell off during choir recital, sticking up for people who were bullied, talking to the new kid to make them feel more comfortable.
I even analyzed my professional career to see what tasks I completed that brought me the most joy. For example, some of my best career moments consisted of me helping new managers understand a complex process and seeing their epiphanies when things “clicked” training coworkers on a new project and seeing them excel, people coming to me for questions or directions, and being able to be the silent confidant for my coworkers and colleagues.
Eventually, I found out that the best job I ever had was when I was a cashier at Dollar General. Our store was positioned right next door to a dialysis center, so many customers were the same people day in and day out. From our regular run-ins, I created genuine relationships with the customers where they vented their frustrations with me, and I, in turn, gave them a positive word or smiled to help them power through the day. That job was the best job that I ever had. If money weren’t an issue, I would go back to it in a heartbeat.
That’s when I put it all together and found my sweet spot! I am passionate about helping, encouraging, and uplifting people to become the best version of themselves. I enjoy sharing the information that I know and have learned and sharing it with others to excel. This revelation led to me strategically navigating from my cushy desk job over to a space that would allow me to do all of the things I am passionate about. I don’t foresee this passion dying out anytime soon.
Steps to Finding Your Passion
- Look deep within your past and childhood to identify the times when you were the happiest. Where were you? What were you doing? What was it about it that you loved?
- Examine your career history. What tasks did you like about each of the jobs that you have had? Even if you changed industries, what was the general work like? Who did you work with, what was the purpose of the work.
- Look for patterns. What similarities do you see between what brought you joy in your past/current state and what you have done professionally?
- How can you place yourself in a position where you can use your experience professionally along with what you are passionate about?
After you have determined how you can mesh your professional and personal passions, now you can come up with a strategy to move towards making it a reality. This may be a slow process, and if it is, don’t lose hope. As long as you have a concept of where you want to go, you are halfway there because you have done the deep work. Having a realistic plan in place will keep your passion’s fire burning bright.
