Ever came across the phrase, “Go out and follow your passion”? I bet you have.
By Blake Heron
It’s a trending phrase that unlike other things has stood the test of time and has become more relevant than ever in today’s day and age. However, it is not as easy as it sounds. Finding your passion and effective ways to turn it into a successful career is a slippery slope. Do not worry or be frustrated if you have tried climbing this slope because you aren’t alone. Everyone has passed this phase or is going through it.
So does this mean most people find their passion? Sadly, it is the contrary. Most people tend to make peace with a career which is monetarily lucrative. But over time the monetary pleasures fade away and are replaced by stress and anxiety. So what is one supposed to do? Is there a direct procedure or course on how to find your passion? The answer to that would be a big no. Don’t be disheartened! Although it is tough to discover your passion and ways to monetize them, it is definitely worth your time and efforts. And in order to simplify the process for you, we have listed below five steps which can help you in your quest for discovering your passion. So here’s how you can find your passion:
Catalog your Talents
To begin with, you need to start inventorying your talents. Do not include the things you are good at but don’t like working on. The list will specifically focus on the things you excel at and enjoy doing. Ask yourself the following questions before including talent in the list:
- Am I good at this?
- Do I enjoy myself and can dedicate hours to honing the skill or accomplishing something using the skill without any hesitation?
- Was I ever complimented for this skill and shunned the enthusiasm away just because I was skeptical of my own abilities?
If the answer to all the questions above turns out to be a yes, include the skill in your inventory of talents.
Explore the Desires of Your Heart
What is something you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t actually tried? The unexplored desires of your heart may hold the key to finding your passion. If you’re not familiar with an area you think you’d like to explore, then find an online course teaching that skill. You may find that a new skill may open your possibilities in life and complement what you’re already good at!
Combine Skills in Unique Ways
When listing your talents ensure that you include things you are mediocre at. It is not necessary to excel at one particular thing. Combining these skills can create an altogether new avenue for you to explore. For instance, let’s say you like drawing but your skills are limited to drawing miniature human figures and you have a good sense of humor. You can combine the two skills to create your own short version of comics and use social media platforms to monetize it. This is one practice that can help you unearth a hidden passion that you might have missed all these years.
Closely Observe Yourself
Movies and TV series often portray the discovery of passion as a “eureka” moment that hits you out of the blue. However, that is not at all true. Your day-to-day actions can be surprisingly helpful in gaining insights into what you may love to do. Closely observe the activities that you love doing. Analyze your credit card bills, the types of books you read, the movies you watch, the people you are jealous of. You might observe a deeper connection between these facets of your behavior which can highlight a specific activity that you are inclined towards.
Expect the Unexpected
When setting out to try something new and identify your passion, it is natural to experience some resistance from your own thoughts. Additionally, stepping out of the comfort zone and breaking the monotony can be surprisingly scary and intimidating. Under such circumstances, you need to take a leap of faith and begin your journey towards a happier and fulfilling life.
Blake Heron is the founder of Skills Co., an online platform where users can learn new skills from industry experts through video master courses.
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