Channel Your Passion Into Success

Find and follow your passion! We hear this advice constantly, whether it be from a motivational speaker or during a college graduation speech. But what exactly does finding your passion entail? What does it mean to follow your interests? 

Passion 
a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept; an object of desire or deep interest
Merriam-Webster

As I pondered the concept of establishing one’s interests and following through on them, I began to consider the role that passion has played in my own. My passions have not remained constant, rather they have changed as I have grown as an individual – both in substance and intensity. 

It was during my childhood that I first experienced the powerful impact of passion. I felt a burning desire from within, a desire to create art. It mattered not what I was doing or where I was, I constantly felt an innate push towards art and expressing myself creatively. To this day, I can still vividly remember the love I felt for art. 

 
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
– Confucius

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My passion for art grew over the years, even as I studied different subjects. Ultimately, it enabled me to develop my own personalized art business. I still held a deep love for art; however, now it had altered slightly to entail a love for wire art. I didn’t mind getting up at 4:30 am to work. In fact, I looked forward to the quiet mornings, when I would have my cup of coffee, the pliers, and the wire and spend hours in a state of creative flow. It was this original passion for art, one that had first appeared in my youth, that pushed me to work hard for my goals – to use my love as a motivator for success. 

Last year, I began to feel the same inner draw I had once felt as a child; yet, now, it was focused on a new area: the human mind and its capabilities and motivators. I felt this same feeling of excitement and curiosity and this time, it developed into the creation of this blog and the start of my journey of becoming a life coach.  You can read about the process in the About Me section of the blog. 

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”
– Oprah Winfrey

What is Passion

To me, passion is the internal drive we all have, the desire to discover ourselves and do what we love. I am convinced that each one of us has it, but that not everyone knows how to discover and unlock it. 

Despite the shifts in my interests and passions, whether it be a change in the type of art I loved or a complete shift from art to coaching, the curiosity and excitement that came with each remained constant. I was curious to explore something I was interested in. Passion was not something that just happened. I didn’t wake up one day feeling the burning desire to do something I knew nothing about. Rather, it was the result of exploration and exposure, of a new experience, or a curiosity. Each of these moments ultimately came together to fuel my interests and developed into passions I could follow through on. 

Finding and Developing Our Passion

To some people, the process of finding their passion comes naturally without much exploration. To some, it takes time and going on a self-discovery journey to find it.

Passion is not an object that you can find and take with you. We develop our interests over time. Here is a list of ways you can explore what your passions may be.

• Explore topics of interest. If something triggers your curiosity, learn more about it. There are many online platforms offering short courses on pretty much any topic. This is a great way of trying out new things.
• Be open-minded about topics you are not familiar with. Listen to other people’s experiences. Read publications that are a bit different than your usual choice of genre. The easiest way to learn about new topics is by listening to podcasts and reading online news sites. Scroll through all sections to see if there is anything unfamiliar that catches your eye.
• Narrow down what you want to do. Once you find something that makes you excited and keeps you motivated, try to narrow it down to what the specific area of interest is. For example, if you think your passion is to help the less fortunate, try to narrow it down to a specific form of outreach to you are drawn to. Do you want to run a charity, or do you want to donate, do you want to partake in direct service in underprivileged parts of the world, or is there another path that best fits your interests? Explore specific niches to find the best fit for you.

. . .

• Get in touch with people who are involved in the area you are interested in. You can join FB groups or other social media groups to talk to people who know more about the topic.
• Consider how “following” your passion will affect your life. What do you have to do to get there? It may sound great doing something you like, but are you prepared to give up some aspects of your life in order to work on it?
• Learn about the pros and cons. Finding your passion is like falling in love. In the beginning, we tend to see only the good things. Try to consider what the downsides or drawbacks are in order to prevent future failure or disappointment.
• Before you start on the journey, make sure you have in place a support system from friends and family and the resources needed to see it to completion.
• Don’t give up everything else that you have going in your life. If you must, do it gradually. Changing everything at once can cause stress and anxiety, which can lead to a loss of motivation.
• Once you decide on your passion, make a plan for action and set your goals. Don’t rush into it. If you do it too soon or too fast you can end up with a complete burnout. You can download (top of the page) a free copy of REACHING MY GOALS! e-book with accompanying worksheet. It will help you set your goals in a practical and achievable way!

. . .

“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.”
– Albert Einstein

Conclusion

Surprisingly, the idea of following one’s passions is quite controversial. On one hand, you have those that say you absolutely need it. Others say it is of no help at all. I am a firm believer in working with passion. I agree it is not a requirement for success. However, I am convinced that people with distinct passions have a better chance of achieving success. When you find your passion you find your purpose. The work you do brings you joy even if it requires hard work. 

What is your view on passion? Do you have it? Please share your views and experience so others can learn from them. If you’d like, you can contact me directly.

I offer a free 1-hour discovery session for new clients. I would love to talk to you and help you get on the road to becoming the best version of yourself.

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I am here for you!