What calls to you? What ignites your spirit? If you can’t answer these two questions, these following seven questions will get you on the right track to finding your passion. Before you start, I encourage you to get a pen and paper and write these questions down, as well as your answers. Nothing changes without action, so get those pens out and let that be your first action to finding clarity on this path.
1. What do you do with your downtime that you enjoy? What do you do on weekends? What do you do at night after all the chores are done? What do you look at or read at work when you are slacking off? What we do with our downtime can be a good indicator of what we are passionate about.
2. What makes you lose track of time? I am sure you have experienced this at some point in your life. It’s a time when you are enjoying yourself so much that you have completely lost track of time. Sometimes it can be to the point that you have even forgotten to eat. Take a moment and think back to some of the times that you have experienced this. What were you doing? Who were you with?
3. What types of books, blogs and Youtube videos do you watch? These can be clues to what you are truly interested in and what ignites that spark of joy within you. Who do you follow on Facebook (aside from friends and family)? Again, these can be signs directing you to your passion. For example, I had a client who was a successful public relations manager, but in her spare time, she spent most of her time reading about gardening. That eventually led to helping other people with their gardens, and even becoming a guest writer on several gardening websites and blogs.
4. What conversation topics never get boring? What types of things do you never get tired of talking about. What types of topics could you talk all day about? What topic gets you energized and excited to talk to others about?
5. What types of activities do you spend money to take part in? If you’re willing to spend money to take part in something, it’s most likely important to you. Examples might be paying for a painting class, or a writing class.
6. If you could be another person for a week, who would it be? This one is a fun one that shines a light on an important point. Those you admire can indicate what type of person you want to become.
7. Where do you fear judgment? What areas in your life do you fear being judged? An example might be someone who writes music and keeps it a secret, in fear of being judged. This fear means that you deeply care about that part of yourself. More often than not, it’s that person’s passion.
Now that you have the answers to these questions, look at them and see if there is a pattern. Your passion or purpose might be staring you right in the face. Now that you have some insight, it’s time to take some action. To bring your passion or purpose to life, you need to take action — otherwise, it will just stay in the recesses of your mind and live there as a hope or a dream. Rumi wrote, “Respond to every call that excites your spirit.”
So ask yourself, “What is one thing I can do in the next seven days to bring my passion to life?” Then do it. Sign up for a class, buy those painting supplies, write the first page of that novel that has been in your head for years. Just take that first step. Then the following week add one more or even two more things you can do. The week after that add even more steps you can take. When you build your momentum, you will be unstoppable and your results will amaze you.
I have created a guided meditation to go along with this that you can find at www.resonantmind.org/find-your-passion-purpose-meditation/.
