Friday, January 25, 2013

10 THINGS YOU CAN DO IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE YOUR PASSION HAPPEN

Although some people may tell you it takes years to discover your passion, I think it really only takes enough time to develop a skill set to get you on your way. That does not necessarily always mean several years getting a degree or half a lifetime learning wisdom.
Here are 10 suggestions you can implement NOW towards making today the one that make your passion happen.

1. OBSERVE...Keep a log for a few days noting the things that make you comfortable, happy; things that keep your interest, beg for your opinion, pull at your heartstrings. Is it a cause or a circumstance? Is it an activity that causes you to lose track of time when you are involved? What draws you back again and again?

2. WRITE...Start a list. Some might call it a bucket list but it can also be your wish list. What would you really like to accomplish in life. Is it to get a degree, travel more, help those who really need an advocate, change careers, move, etc? Put your thoughts into words and keep it somewhere where you see it regularly.

3.EMBELLISH...Take that list and address a specific step for each wish. If you want to get a degree, have you looked into colleges, financial aid, contacted a career coach, started on- line courses? If you want to travel, are you researching your favorite locations? If you want to give back more, have you looked into volunteer opportunities? Interested in changing careers? Have you talked with others or connected on line with those in careers you might be interested in pursuing? If you are doing nothing about what you wrote about, you have to ask yourself if you may not really want the things you think you do.

4.READ...Become an expert at what you want, review travel sites, blogs and books. Spend a day at the local bookstore selecting books which will help with your career development. Develop a library of resources on leadership, time management and intentional living. Investigate and explore opinions from experts in the fields you seek to pursue.Create a wealth of information to help you make wise and life-changing choices.

5. SCHEDULE...You will never develop your passion by wishing. You must schedule some time regularly in its pursuit. You can't write, embellish, read or create experiences to help you pursue your passion if you are constantly devoting time to everything else. Be intentional and schedule regular pockets of time for your passion projects. You schedule time for shopping, eating and sleeping, so why not for what matters most? Make regular passion appointments for yourself to continue to develop the next step of the journey.

6.CONNECT...The internet has made it exceptionally easy to reach out to others who are involved in similar pursuits. Connect with those who can help give you a perspective, provide encouragement, hold you accountable, teach you more than you know. One of my favorite places to connect is 48 Days, because everyone there is at some stage of "once where I was" and the support and suggestions are amazing. Start joining and connecting with groups that will assist you in developing your passion projects. Writers Guilds, groups for stay at home moms, Professional organizations, women's groups, political activists, fund raisers can all help you expand your passion with the right tools.

7. ATTEND...Find at least 2 or 3 face to face events that will help you develop a perspective and set of tools to assist your passion pursuit. Locate conferences where you can learn the nuts and bolts of  making a dream become reality.Connecting face to face with people often is the beginning to opening doors of opportunity. Think of a face to face conference as a gift you must give yourself periodically.

8. SEEK A SPIRITUAL CONNECTION... Christians believe God has a plan and purpose for their lives but even those who do not necessarily believe in a God, have recognized a spiritual connection or power about life's purpose. Make a regular connection through devotional time, inspirational meditation, awareness of yourself on a different plane than simply physical. Spiritual awareness and guidance allows those who are seeking a passion to become aware of their gifts and direction with more clarity and intent.

9. RE-CHARGE...Constantly being "on" is dynamite to burn out. Never feel guilty for needing to take time out to "breathe". Yes, you must have an action plan but you also must be able to give yourself permission to be in the moment. People pursuing their passion recognize the need to enjoy time to relax and recharge. You will be better at doing what you love if you also make time to do what you need to do; step away from the issue, take a vacation, sleep, exercise, watch a movie, take a walk, shop, listen to some music. Sometimes you can't begin to discover your passion, until you give yourself permission to enjoy some of life.

10. COMMIT TO BEGIN...Take a stand about what you want and commit to pursuing it. Stop rationalizing, making excuses, sabotaging and underestimating yourself. Dave Ramsey was broke, Oprah was poor, Steven Spielberg was rejected and Steve Jobs had no degree...eliminate saying "whatever" and start saying, "however".  You can't make any passion happen if you are your own worst obstacle. You can want to own the best cupcake shop on the planet, but if you are not baking it's not going to happen. You can want to be the best nurse on the face of the earth, but if you're not involved in some aspect of developing health care skills, you're stuck. Painters must pick up a brush. That's how it works.



WHAT ONE ARE YOU WORKING ON TODAY?

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2 comments:

  1. I agree that it does not take years to discover our passion if we are really looking for it. Your steps will certainly help focus our attention in that direction. Have you ever read The Passion Test? The authors lead the reader through an exercise to identify and live your top five passions. It's useful, but I don't think it reaches the depths of the steps you suggest. I used to have very specific passions, but now I think my passion is more mysterious and less defined. All I can say is that I'm living it!

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  2. That's all that matters, Galen, regardless of knowing a specific passion is realizing you are living it. Good for you!

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