HOW TO BE SUCCESSFULL IN LIFE Step #3 – PASSION

HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR PASSION?

WHAT’S YOUR STRENGTH?

You probably can recall people asking you this famous question: What do you want to be when you grow up? Chances are you probably didn’t know how to find your passion yet. 

We all answered the best way we can. 

When we’re older, most people might tell us to just do what we’re good at. Or they may say “just do what you love” or “do what makes you happy.” 

But what the hell does that even mean? I love to sleep, but I can’t go to sleep for a living… right? 

Well, what if I said you could? Had you ever thought about how it would be possible? It’s true that people do actually get paid to sleep, whether for studies or for streams. 

We often don’t even consider things we actually enjoy when it comes to our careers.

LOST AND FOUND

All of us have many goals, not just one. But we usually have a big one that we identify as our true passion. It’s something that excites us, that we know will fulfill us.

Do you know what yours is?  

I was lost for a long time. I couldn’t find my passion because I had no idea what it was that I truly wanted to do. Time was just passing me by. Finally, after 10 years, I sat down and figured things out. The truth is that I really did already know what I should have been doing, but I never took that first step. 

I know a lot of you can probably relate to that. 

When I finally took the time to piece it all together and figure it out, it was like my whole life was coming together. So I want to share some of the things I learned when it comes to finding your passion, creating the big idea.

WHAT’S YOUR PASSION? 

Some of you may think you already know what your passion is and what you want to do. That’s great! However, even if you think you know what your passion is, I encourage you to take some time to discover the possibilities you’ve never even thought to think of. 

MISCONCEPTION 1 – SOCIETAL LIMITS

Everything in this world that we see and use is made by another person no more special than you or I. 

Remember that you don’t need to conform to other people’s rules. Don’t limit yourself to what’s acceptable and expected when looking for what truly makes you happy.

Let’s talk about a 9 to 5. If you’re happy working a day job, there’s nothing wrong with that. They often get a bad rep nowadays, but they can be very fulfilling. 

Indeed, it can absolutely be your passion to simply go to work five days a week at a place you love. If that brings you happiness, who can tell you any different? 

BE INFORMED

It’s hard to make an informed decision without looking at all the possibilities. We live in a world where we aren’t regularly taught to weigh our happiness in the equation of our career. 

Most of the world, including our families, tend to fill our heads with a specific idea about what a good career looks like, and tells us that’s what we should strive for because it’s respectable and high paying.  

I want you to make the most informed decision you can.

Really consider all the things that make you happy, along with other considerations, as you think about your life’s goals.

Consider even the things you thought were too ridiculous because you have the notion that there’s no way to make a career from it. This thought usually comes from what we think is acceptable by society. What society says is respectable and high paying. Society has limited our minds to the point where we don’t even consider that some of the things that bring us happiness have the possibility to be our life’s purpose.

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE:

Pet Rock. A guy picked up rocks, made faces on them and sold them, and became very successful. Imagine buying a rock with a face on it. 

There are many examples of people doing something that makes them happy, without any expectations of great success, but they ended up becoming very successful and making lots of money anyway. We often admire these people but never think we could do the same. Why not?

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOCIETAL LIMITS

Another example of societal limits: my father always told me to stop playing video games when I was a kid. He’d say that I can’t make a living with them, so they’re a waste of time. Then not too long ago, somebody took what they love and made an opportunity out of it.

They created Twitch: a streaming platform where people can play games and others can watch them. That was a multi-million dollar idea. Not only have its creators found success, people using the platform to do what they love have found great success as well. Gamers have earned millions of dollars playing games. 

Sorry dad, but you were wrong. Video games are now a huge competitive industry, with the best players in the world competing in tournaments and earning huge cash prizes and sponsorships on par with successful athletes. 

Don’t let somebody else tell you what you can’t do. Instead, think about how you can. Even if it’s never been done before. It’s up to you. Above all, if you love something, don’t let others stop you.

MISCONCEPTION 3 – IT’S TOO LATE

This misconception isn’t really about the thought that it’s too late because it’s already been done. This one is more about feeling like you’ve missed your opportunity for some other reason.

For instance, maybe you didn’t act on it for years and now you feel like you can’t anymore. Many people find they subject themselves to this train of thought.

Or they’re older and with that age came other things in their life, and now they feel like they can no longer find a passion and pursue it. So instead, they opt to blindly continue with whatever old job they happen to have.

There are countless stories of people who became successful or achieved their goals at older ages, without limbs, or in defiance of some other seemingly impossible odds. It’s never too late.

FOR INSTANCE

My stepfather became a doctor near the age of 50, and it was his passion. He loved his work. He spent a while in various other occupations and was already in his 40’s when he decided he wanted to pursue a medical career. It’s never too late. 

Similarly, it’s never too early. If you want to do something you love, go out and do it now. If you don’t know-how, go learn. But there’s no reason to say that you’re too young to try pursuing something you’re passionate about.  

If at a young age you know you love doing something, the better off you’ll be if you start to pursue it early on. You can achieve wonders by the time others are deciding on their college major.

And there are plenty of examples of that in the history of the world too.  

Now let’s find out what makes you happy.

EXERCISE

You’re going to make a list of all the options you would consider for your lifelong career and passion. Add all the activities you enjoy doing to this list. 

This list is to help create the best outcome. Not everything will be an equally viable option for a career, but listing everything will give you the chance to think outside the box and see new possibilities. 

I want to challenge you to think about the ideas you never took seriously, the things you’ve never even considered. Include all the random things that bring you happiness, like your hobbies or even things you’ve always wanted to try.

Don’t limit yourself to 5 in the lists below—this is just to get you started. List as many as you can for all categories.

JOBS

Write down jobs you’ve considered:

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Why did you include these particular jobs on your list? Would they make you happy? How do you know? Can they sustain your desired lifestyle?

Many of us think we’ll enjoy a certain job but we don’t know that to be true. We don’t even know what goes into getting that job, what the job entails, or the difficulty and stressors involved. But it’s a good start.

WHAT’S YOUR STRENGTH?

Now write down the things you are good at, whether or not you can imagine them as a job or career right now.

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WHAT’S YOUR HOBBY?

Next, list your hobbies, all the things you enjoy doing. And no, you don’t have to be the best at them. They are just things you do because you get enjoyment out of them. Really start thinking about the things you do that bring you joy, no matter what it is.

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Now go ahead and list anything that just makes you happy. This list can overlap with your hobbies. But go ahead and start with something like sleeping. Who doesn’t like to sleep? Write down anything and everything that makes you happy, especially if it’s not on any of the previous lists.

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So now you’ve listed occupations you’d enjoy, things you’re good at, things you enjoy doing, and things that just generally make you happy. 

TIME TO CREATE

Take a look at your desired occupations. Maybe you’ve been striving toward one of them? That’s okay! You may already know what you want to do. One of these options can be your passion. 

Do you know if you can be happy doing the work you’ve listed? Do you have to be the boss or owner? Or are you okay being an employee in this capacity? Are you in control of your hours and work ethic? Or is it someone else? 

Some occupations are not built by you, and they already come with a set of rules that may govern you in that position. There’s nothing wrong with this if you know it’s your passion.

If there are rules that may not be compatible with the way you want to work, you need to ask yourself if it’s something that you can accept in order to do that job. Is it still your passion? Is there a way you can change the rules to make it work for you?

BUMPS IN THE ROAD

Remember that no matter what you choose there will always be obstacles. Just because you will have to deal with some hardships doesn’t mean it’s not a passion worth pursuing. And if it really is your passion, you will be able to overcome the obstacles and find happiness in what you are doing. 

Still need to grind out some thoughts? Make some tweaks so it caters to your happiness? Are there unique ways to make any of those ideas better? Are there ways to make them more “you”? You can always make these adjustments. Don’t let the challenges stop you completely if there’s an idea you’re really passionate about.

ADDITION AND RESEARCH

Take a look at the other items on your list. Are there any things there that you can add to your occupation in some manner that will make your choice even better? For example, think of ways that your likes and hobbies can be incorporated into your occupational choice in a way that could really develop it into your passion. 

Maybe you wrote down some occupations, but you’re one of those people who don’t really know what they want to do. Start by asking yourself the same thing: “is there anything on my list I can combine with one of these occupations that I can develop into my passion?”

If you’re really unsure, start looking at the things you know you’re good at. What could you do with those talents or skills as a job? If you don’t know, then it’s time to start doing a little digging. Research what people with your talents do. First, try googling it. Take the time to really poke around and see. Next, list any results that pique your interest. See how people make a living off of those skills. 

Now do the same thing for your list of hobbies and the things that make you happy.

IMAGINE 

As you go down your list, from jobs to skills, hobbies and finally all your joys, the more it becomes about the creative process. For that reason, it takes imagination to look for the deeper meaning within the things you’ve listed.

Can you come up with an idea from the things on your list, the things that make you happy, that can become your passion? 

Once you have that initial idea, you need to make sure it supports your lifestyle. It has to eventually be sustainable.

Take the time to go through all items on your list and ask yourself the following questions:

• How do I make this work for me? 
• How do I monetize this? 
• Can it be grand enough to support my vision of life success? 
• Can it be my passion? Will it bring me the most happiness in pursuing it? 
• Does it help facilitate my other goals in life? 

You may have to research how you can monetize your ideas to have a better understanding of their potential. 

So think about just how successful the idea needs to be to support your vision. How much money does this need to make? Do I want this to be my full-time career or a side gig?

Do I make a business out of it? Is it a brick-and-mortar shop? Is it online? How exactly does it make money and how much? How often? You might even consider developing it into a form of passive income.

COMBINE

If no one thing on your list is sparking a good idea, then start combining things on your list to see if you find a connection that you can make work for you. 

You’ll know when you’ve got something good because the gears in your brain start working with that idea and you’ll start feeling excited when you think about it. Remember, it’s about your happiness first, and then finding the ways to support your desired lifestyle.  

Ask yourself all the necessary questions. Do some research. And think outside of the box.

Don’t be afraid to use anything on your list. It may sound weird, but I promise you that it’s really just up to your imagination. 

If you wrote down watching movies and taking naps as things that make you happy, can these two things make a business idea? It may sound counterintuitive, but there are ways to make this work. It doesn’t have to mean you make a movie theatre where people can also take naps. But why not? It’s like Netflix and chill. Movies and naps. There may be a whole population who can really go for this.

For example, someone came up with the idea of wine and paint. 

Now these places can be found everywhere. It’s a great idea that sounds almost ordinary now. Why go out just to drink wine when you can also paint. 

The idea combines things that I would have on my own list. Drinking wine, hanging out with friends, learning, and painting. Creating a business idea out of this would make me happy because it incorporates things that make me happy. And it’s very likely other people would want to experience the happiness it can bring so it’s a sellable idea that can support my vision for life success. It can also support my purpose of bringing people together.

Now Look back at the movies and naps concept. The idea you create doesn’t always have to be so literal. Sometimes it requires more creativity. Dig deeper into movies and naps. What else can these two things mean? How else can they work together? 

Maybe it’s a specialized movie theatre or a way for people who are bedridden to have a theatre-like experience. Maybe it’s something designed for people in hospitals who can’t get up from their beds but who want to have the experience of going to a movie theatre. 

So yes, it takes time, it takes research, and it takes your imagination. Go through your list and think of the different possibilities that are right in front of you. Find the one that brings you the excitement, happiness, and ambition you deserve.

MOVE WITH PASSION

Remember, your passion has to be big enough that it can help facilitate your other goals and support your vision of life success. When you think you have found your passion, something that brings you joy and you’re going to love to do, enhance it with your other goals where you can.

Think about if there are any ways your passion can either incorporate these goals, lead you to them or make room for them to be accomplished. 

You have to be in love with your passion. So much that it drives you, motivates you. Just the thought of working on your passion is empowering to you. You can’t wait to get started or get back to working on it.

HOW MUCH DO YOU HAVE TO LOVE IT?

The latin root for the word passion means to suffer or endure. 

We know that passion is a fiery contagious enthusiasm for something. Sometimes we look at it as really intense love. So when we say move with passion, we are talking about unconditional love. 

Let me explain.

Love isn’t always easy, right? Maybe sometimes it just doesn’t work. But there is such a thing as unconditional love. It’s the love you may have with your family, when they might aggravate you to no end, but no matter what, you always love them.

But we’re not talking about relationships per se, we’re talking about you and your life.

The reality is that chasing your dreams and doing what you love isn’t always easy either. Sometimes this journey can get you hurt—mentally, physically, financially, and emotionally.  

You’ll have to deal with rejection. Maybe you have to deal with injury. A lot of these things will happen, and as unfortunate as it is, there is something to be learned each time that will make you better, as long as you don’t quit.

THE TAKEAWAY

There are always going to be setbacks, but you can’t have an off-and-on relationship with your success. Your passion, your love, has to be unconditional.

For some of you,  you love to sleep

But you’ve got to love your own success more. 

You love to spend money, going shopping or dining out

But You have to love your own success more.

You love hanging out with your friends

But we have to love our own success more.

At some point, many of us will have to endure losing the things that are less important, at least for a little while. 

The difference between those things and your success is unconditional love. Accordingly, that’s what takes priority.

You’ll have some failures and some setbacks. It will cost you some blood, sweat and tears. But you have to acknowledge that’s what comes with the package. Nobody said chasing dreams was easy.

And you have to accept that your LOVE FOR YOUR OWN SUCCESS is unconditional, no matter how much pain it may put you through.

You can’t just expect to do what you love one day and then quit when things get rough. You need the fiery enthusiasm that is passion when things are going well and when it feels like everything’s falling apart. 

Find your passion and pursue it because you love it, it excites you, it makes you happy, and it sustains your lifestyle. But these reasons have to be true always.

Especially when it gets rough. 

THINK ABOUT IT

Where are you when the things you love are in jeopardy? 

When the people you love are in danger, or simply when they need you, where are you then? What are you willing to do to protect the people and the things that matter to you?

That’s how you need to treat your dreams throughout their whole journey. That’s how you need to treat your passion. 

For many of us, we lose that dedication when it comes to our dreams. We bail on our dreams when we’re tired, or had a rough day or whatever. But would we do that if someone we love needs our help? 

We don’t see it, but someone we love does need our help. Ourselves. We need our help. For our vision of life success. Our happiness. Our dreams and our legacy. We need our help.  

Fall unconditionally in love with yourself, your dreams, your success, and your passion.

CONCLUSION

I want you to find your passion. Pursue what brings you happiness, supports your desired lifestyle, helps facilitate your other goals, and supports your vision of life success. Let it excite you, and in turn, you must love it unconditionally. Move with passion by never forgetting that love and excitement. Let it drive you. 

Be there for your success, especially when things get rough, because it matters to you. You love your success unconditionally because you love yourself unconditionally. This is what it means to move with passion.   

Realize that passion is contagious. When you move with passion, chase your dreams with passion, do what you love with passion, it will affect everything you do.  

It will infect the people around you. It will show in your work and in your life and you will feel unstoppable. You will feel happiness.

How to be successful in life Step 4 – PLAN.