Podcasts
Podcast are an emerging form of media that allows you to hear conversations between some of the most interesting and influential people in the world on any given subject. Podcast have been the most profound resources I have ever found for uncovering new interests and passions of mine. They allow you to explore new ideas, perspectives, and philosophies completely for free and at your own pace. I can honestly say that podcast have been the main catalyst for me discovering what I am truly passionate about. If you are someone who is struggling to find your passion than podcast would be the first place I would start.
Books
Books and more specifically non-fiction books are resources you can use to really refine what you are interested in. If you ever hope to make a living doing what you love then you better have a deep understanding of that thing and non- fiction books will give you the knowledge that is necessary to truly becoming an expert in the thing that you are passionate about.
Experiment
Experimenting with thing that interest you is the most effective way to finding your passion. The key is to completely immerse yourself in whatever whim you get. When I was 18 I thought I wanted to be in real estate so went to a free local real estate course, and then I enrolled in school for marketing, After that I thought I wanted to be a music producer and DJ so I downloaded all the programs, bought text books about music production, went to workshops and practiced almost every day. Once I realized that music wasn’t for me I then became fascinated with nutrition and fitness. Now I have a blog where I help people with their health which is what I am truly passionate about. Even though I “failed” at my attempts to find my passionate at first, what I did discover is what I was not passionate about which is just as important and is all a vital part of the process.
Meditation
As my favorite spiritual teacher Ram Dass says, “the quieter you become, the more you can hear.” A lot of my best insights on what it is that I should do with my life have come to me while I was meditating. The more you can quite the constant chatter of your mind, the more you can hear your intuition. When you meditate you are able to hear your inner voice far more clearly which will lead you down the right path. When we listen to our ego instead of our intuition we often make decisions out of fear instead of what we actually desire. Developing a mediation practice, even five minutes day, will help you develop your intuition and will give you better insights into what you are passionate about.
Surround Yourself with Passionate People
Passion, just like a positive attitude, is contagious. When you surround yourself with people are a passionate about what they are doing it can often be the force multiplier that can lead you to your ah-ha moment.
Trust Your Intuition
If it feels right, even though you can’t see where your situation is leading you, just trust that there are lessons that need to be learned and that this is exactly where you need to be right now. Many times I have questioned the seemingly random jobs and projects that I find myself doing however, hindsight is 20/20. When I look back at these random events I can see that they have all lead me to be where I am today. As long as you are enjoying yourself or you feel challenged, even though you have no idea where your situation is taking you, just have faith that it is leading you exactly to where you want to be.
Ask Yourself “If money didn’t exist, what would I do?”
This is a very powerful thought experiment that for a lot of people is a very difficult question to answer. Too many of us are focused on money and we tend to sacrifice what we really desire for bigger pay cheques. What nobody tells you though is that the novelty of money and material possessions wears off very fast and often leaves you feeling empty. Finding the answer to this question is a great place to start on your journey to finding your passion.
Follow Your Interests with No Attachment to the Outcome
I feel like a lot of people don’t follow their interests because they are afraid of what other people might think or they are afraid they might fail. However, if you can follow your interests without attachment of the outcome, succeed or fail it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that you’re enjoying yourself and you feel happy. When you are searching for that thing that you feel like was meant for you, there is no failing; there is only winning and learning.
Change Your Environment
A change in environment can often give you a new perspective. Traveling to a new country, going to a local music festival, or getting a new job can help get you out of your comfort zone and give you profound insights into what you might want to do with your life.
Take Action
Your purpose isn’t going to fall in your lap as you’re watching TV. To find your passion you should do at least do one of these suggestions every single day which as a recap include:
- Listen a podcast
- Read one chapter of a book
- Experiment by starting a new project
- Meditate for at least five minutes
- Find someone who loves what they do and ask them to hangout
- Take action on your intuition
- Write down an answer to the question “if money didn’t exist, what I would do?”
- Change your environment
Conclusion
When it comes to finding your passion I believe it is simply a numbers game. It takes patience and persistence and I know it might seem like a lot of work but realistically you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. These are the most effective tips I have discovered and if they’ve worked for me I believe they can work for you too. Feel free to share ways that have helped you discover your passion in the comments below.
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My name is Nathan Wiebe and I am the founder and writer of the Eat.Exercise.Live.Differently blog []. I am somewhat of a health and lifestyle scientist who loves experimenting with different ways of living. My mission in life is to introduce people to various ways and means of escaping a mediocre life. Sometimes you have to be your own hero so I do my best to provide the tools and resources that will lead towards a complete lifestyle upgrade.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eat-Exercise-Live-Differently/1481228055495052?ref=hl
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