If I had a dollar for every time I've heard "I wish I had a passion..." I would be wearing a verrrry nice pair of shoes right now.
The truth is, you DO.
Everyone has a passion. Most likely you have several. It’s not that you do not have one, it’s that you have not identified it. Without realising, you may be choosing not to have a passion.
So, if like many others, you'd like to discover your true passion, read on.
Acknowledge that you already have passions
You do already have passions, you’re probably just not acknowledging them. What lights you up? What aspects of your day/week/year do you look forward to the most? How do you choose to spend your free time?
It could be food, exercise, pets, travel, music or simply friends and family. By acknowledging that you already have passions, you are opening yourself up to discovering your true passion/s. It’s an important first step, and gets your mind thinking about things that you are passionate about.
Take time to discover your passions
If your passion isn’t apparent to you today, and you wake up tomorrow and do exactly the same things (same activities, same people, same places), how are you going to discover your passion?
As a child, you were exposed to new activities, new people and new opportunities. It's easy to lose this as an adult. We get stuck with the familiar. In doing so, you don’t give your passions a chance to surface.
It doesn’t matter if you have no idea what your passion might be. Get out and do things. Do anything that grabs you or makes you happy. By trial and error, you'll start to discover the things you are passionate about. And the true passion/s you're seeking.
If you already have an idea, explore it. How can you spend more time discovering or doing more? Who can you talk to about it? Map out steps you can take in the next day, week, month and year.
Be prepared for your passions to come from unexpected sources
Your passion could be right in front of your eyes, but if your eyes are shut, you won’t be able to acknowledge it.
Do not get too fixated on a certain idea, or even the idea of “I must identify my passion”. Be prepared for it to come from an unexpected source. In everything you do, be open to hearing about new things. Look out for things in your everyday life that grab your attention.
In order to discover things, we must be open to receiving them. Wherever they come from.
Ask other people about their passions and about you
One of your most valuable resources is the people that know you well.
They can always offer a fresh perspective, as their views will always be different to yours. They also know you incredibly well. They may remember the random activity you did together on a holiday five years ago that you said you loved.
Ask them for ideas. Listen to them. Talk things through with them.
Believe that you have a passion
If you keep telling yourself you do not have a passion, you will believe it.
Just as if you were told from birth you do not have a left foot, you would believe it. Even though its attached to your left leg.
You won't discover that which you refuse to believe is there.
We have become accustomed to instant gratification. If we cannot see or get something straight away, we lose interest. Trust that your passion is already there and you just need to discover it.
So BELIEVE. Take ACTION. Be OPEN.
Good luck and have fun!