Taking stock
Doing what you love and what you are passionate about
So what?
We previously posted about what passion is, why you can’t wait for passion to find you and why you need to find your passion and cultivate it. ICYMI, you need to find your passion. By finding your passion, you will have:
- More personal and professional freedom;
- Improved self-awareness and confidence;
- Increased safety circle; and
- Simpler life.
This post discusses the first step of finding your passion.
Taking stock
As we discussed in our previous post that we linked above, passion is something that you have to look for. Passion doesn’t just appear in front of you. The first step to finding what your one is to take stock of yourself whether it be at the interpersonal, intrapersonal or professional level. Take stock by starting with your past, your present and then your future.
Past
We all enjoyed particular activities or things when we were growing up. Think back to your past including as far back as when you were a child. What did you enjoy doing as a child, teenager, young adult? Or 10, 20 or 30 years ago. Have a look at old photos or read through your journal to jog your memory. Is there a particular activity or thing that you somehow lost touch with? Start making a list of those things which will come in handy as we progress with your passion search.
Present
Once you’ve explored your past, let’s practice mindfulness and return to the present. Take a look at your phone or computer’s browsing history. What do you spend time learning or reading about? Is there any recurring theme or interest that you spend more time reading about?
We all have that one friend, acquaintance or celebrity that we admire or can see ourselves longing to be. Think of two or three of those individuals and add to your list the reasons why you admire them or want to be them. Why do you admire them? Why do you want to be them? What do they enjoy doing? What are they passionate about? What are their hobbies? You can even do this with people that makes you jealous or envious.
Before we move onto your future, have a think about if there are any aspects of your current life that have elements of the things that are on your list.
Future
In thinking about your future, determine the reason why you are looking for your passion. Is it because you want to replace your job or start a side hustle? Or are you looking for a hobby? The passion you find through exploring your past and present might not be suitable for the reason as to the reason why you are exploring. You might end up with a new hobby or a new job that you weren’t intending to do.
My experience
I used to spend hours in one sitting building LEGO as a child. I can’t recall when I stopped building them but there was a gap between building things and when I went through the exercise of finding my passion. When I explored what my passion might be, I naturally gravitated towards building and making things. Reconnecting with my childhood allowed me to find a new hobby which led me to buying a 3D printer to design and make things.
What now?
- Have a think about your childhood and see if you’ve lost connection with what you used to love doing.