100 Ways
"What is my purpose in life?"
100 ways to find answers
You may have been asking yourself: "So, what is my purpose in life?
Or perhaps you have phrased it this way: "What do I want to do with my life?"
Whatever specific question brought you to this place, below you will find 100 suggestions that can help you discover your own answers.
The list includes both general and specific concepts as well as videos, articles and books to help you find your passion and purpose.
I really hope this is of benefit to you.
Scroll down to read everything in order or click on the links below in the table of contents to jump to each section.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Intro: How to Use this Material
Please don't try to read all of this at once! It's just too much content to take in.
When it comes to finding your purpose in life, easy does it!
Depending on your schedule, a good way to work with this is to read one section per day or per week. As you go through it, see if any points resonate with you more strongly than others.
Take note of the ones that stand out to you so you can come back to explore them.
Have fun!
Section 1: Basics & Preparation (No. 1-28)
Growing up, you probably learnt that leadership is about titles, positions, or formal authority. While this is true in a number of contexts, it’s also an incomplete understanding of leadership and one that could result in you playing a smaller game than you are capable of.
Entertain the possibility that you are
a leader.
You have skills, talents and life experiences that are unique in their combination, and that have the potential to create exceptional value for others.
Consider these words by legendary choreographer
Martha Graham
to her protégé
Agnes de Mille:
"There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it."
You can read more about the inspirational exchange between the two here.
The most important step you will ever take to live your passion in the world is to get out of your own way. Once you set aside your own fears, worries etc. and cooperate with what wants to come through you, you will often find yourself in a state of flow
(you can read about the difference between passion and flow
here).
It is thus no surprise that writer Aldous
Huxley stated that “our whole effort must be to get out of our own light.”
Related to the previous idea of getting out of your own way, it is also crucial for you to break the “spell of smallness.” Bestselling spiritual author Marianne Williamsonsuccinctly described this in the following words: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”
Williamson also remarked that you shouldn’t give in to your spell of smallness: “Your playing small does not serve the world.”
You can check out her full quote here.
Your passion is related to your energy. If you have difficulties in distinguishing your voice from those around you, do what you need to do to become clearer on what belongs to you, and what belongs to others.
While this can be a lifelong journey, the better you get at discerning the boundaries between yourself and others, the easier it will be for you to connect with your authentic passion. A practice that can help you with this is learning how to love your no (see
No. 37).
People often use the words “passion,” “purpose,” and “path” indiscriminately, but these terms point to different things. The question: "What is my purpose in life?" should give you different answers than: "What's my passion?"
It’s helpful to learn to distinguish between these three, because this clarity will help you figure out if you need to find all three, or if you only need to work on one of them.
In short, “passion” refers to what you love doing (for instance, writing or teaching), “purpose” relates to your deeper reason for doing it, to your why (for instance, in order to empower young people to create the lives they want) and “path” refers to how you bring it into the world.
You can read more about this distinction in my free Work You Love Guide
(see No. 66).
Often people can get so caught up in their search for their “passion,” or “purpose” that they put it onto a pedestal where they cannot access it.
The search for one’s passion then becomes as emotionally charged as a desperate romance search for “The One.”
While your life will be a lot better if you live your passion, or if you are with your soulmate, you will still be you and you won’t magically live in a land full of rainbow and unicorns. Once you stop over-idealizing your passion (or your soulmate), you have a much better chance of getting what you desire.
Often, people get so caught up in the idea of the one perfect passion. If you notice yourself getting stuck in the search for your one true calling, give yourself some breathing space by entertaining the possibility that you might have different passions.
The key here is to discover what type you are---are you a "Diver" who is passionate about one thing and can get totally absorbed in it, or are you a "Scanner" who has multiple passions (see also No. 50
and No. 55)?
Related to the last point is a distinction advanced by bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert. According to Gilbert, the world is divided into two people---jackhammers and hummingbird.
If you happen to be a hummingbird, chasing your passion is the worst advice you could get. Instead, follow your curiosity. You can find out more about the distinction in this short 2-minute video here.
While you may have different passions, it is helpful to focus on one at a time in your exploration phase. Otherwise, the exploration (see Section 7) can become too overwhelming.
If it’s hard for you to focus on taking one step at a time, you are not alone. Many people need outside support for that (see Section 3).
Bringing your passion into the world may require you holding a big vision. To not be overwhelmed by this vision, you will need to take baby steps towards manifesting it.
As executive coach Brian Whetten
likes to say: “The bigger the vision, the smaller the steps need to be.”
If you feel stuck, ask yourself: “What is one small step I could take right now to move forward on my journey towards creating work I love?”
Real change takes time, often more time than we wish. Don't let this derail you! Creating work you love is more like a marathon than a sprint. So be in it for the long haul and give yourself the gift of patience.
Celebrate the little accomplishments on the way, and stay on track.
As Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
teaches us, basic needs come first. It’s hard to think about your passion when your stomach is constantly growling and you don’t have a roof over your hard. Thus, if it’s challenging for you to put food on the table or pay your bills, address that issue first.
Once you have found a way to meet your more basic needs, it will be much easier for you to self-actualize.
Related to the last point is the energetic state you find yourself in. It can be hard to do anything if you feel tired, drained, and exhausted. Your emotional and physiological state influences what you are capable of at any given moment.
Doing things that nourish your energy (such as getting enough sleep and down time, getting enough exercise and good nutrition) can help you to be in a resourceful state.
Related to the last point, it may also be necessary for you to resolve any other issues in your life that are so big that they keep you distracted from connecting with your passion.
Spending time on dealing with those things may seem like a detour to you, but it will make it so much easier to build what you want to build when you’re ready.
While there may be an amount of necessary preparation (see the previous three points), it’s also helpful to realize that you don’t need to be “ready” for finding your passion.
The truth is that we are never truly ready for the most important changes in our lives. You can read more about this idea in my article here.
In her TED talk called "Success, failure and the drive to keep creating,"
Elizabeth Gilbert gave the advice to find the one thing you love more than failing, the one thing you love more than your ego, the one thing you love more than yourself.
Since you may have more than one passion, let me rephrase this: “What is something that you care about so much that you would be willing to fail at it?”
Your passion will generally feel like play to you. Thus, if you want to find your passion, it is crucial to give yourself some time each week to start playing again. Simply do something that you love doing without expecting any results from it (see also No. 77).
In addition to feeling like play, your passion also tends to light you up. To gather more information about what you feel passionate about, take note of everything that lights you up. This will also allow you to become more attuned with your intuition.
19. RECORD your insights
New insights can disappear quickly if you don’t record them as they come up. Find a way to record your insights, whether you use a digital device such as your cell phone, or a notebook and pen.
20. Use the TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE to charge up your passion
20. Use the TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE to charge up your passion
If you find something that lights you up, find a way to triple bottom line it. In this context, “triple bottom line” does not refer to the accounting framework. Instead, it relates to a concept that I first heard from author and speaker Dawn Clark.
Simply put, whatever you want to do, find a way to make sure it is a) good for you, b) good for others, and c) good for the world.
Related to the last point, explore how your passion and purpose can benefit others. Why is this important? We often derive our deepest satisfaction and fulfillment from what we can contribute to others. And ultimately, a passion that’s not serving others in some way is meaningless (see also No. 51).
As Martin Luther King Jr.
put it: “Everybody can be great because anyone can serve.”
Related to the last point, you also need to find a way to be visible. Being of service to others often requires that you are visible to them. This may also require you to work through whatever comes up for you as you consider becoming more visible.
As you give yourself permission to be seen by others, keep in mind
Brené Brown’s quote about critics (see No. 59): “If you're not in the arena also getting your ass kicked, I'm not interested in your feedback.”
Allow yourself to receive constructive feedback from others that can help you become better while disregarding those who only want to discourage you without also putting in the work.
This is an important thing to remember. If you want to find your passion, you’ll generally need to get out of the box--- because your passion is rarely in the box.
While we are at it, you’ll likely not only need to leave your box, but also your comfort zone. The best concept I’ve found that supports you in finding out which way to go was developed by Brian Whetten. It is explained in his book“Yes Yes Hell No.”
For an introduction to this concept, you can read my article here.
Related to the last two points, you’ll benefit from learning how to make friends with your fears. Going for what we most want tends to bring up a lot of fear. People typically react to that fear by either fighting, fleeing or feeding their fears---which typically just makes the fears stronger.
Thankfully, it’s possible to react to fear in a much better way---by making friends with them. Again, this is explained in Brian Whetten’s book “Yes Yes Hell No.” I use this concept with my own coaching clients all the time, and it makes such a big difference to them.
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn
advanced the idea that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. While this is likely not true, It draws attention to the impact our social circle has on us.
Take a moment to reflect on the people you’re habitually surrounding yourself with, and assess how they impact you. Also take a moment to think about which people you would like to surround yourself with. It may be helpful for you to spend time around people who have found their passion and are living it (see also
Section 3
on community and support). These people can serve as a positive role model for you.
Related to the last point, sometimes others see you more clearly than you see yourself (at least if they are on board with your desire to find your passion). You can use this to your advantage! Simply ask others whose opinion you trust what they think you’d love doing and what you’re good at.
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Section 2: Mindset (No. 29-40)
Being a coach has taught me that commitment creates value---one of the biggest factor which determines the success of a coaching relationship is the level of commitment the client brings to it.
If you fully commit to finding your passion, you have a much better chance of getting where you want to go than if you don’t.
If you fully commit to finding your passion, you have a much better chance of getting where you want to go than if you don’t.
It’s generally easier to succeed at something you think is at least possible. However, the Catch 22 is that you often won’t feel something is possible until you have accomplished it.
To get out of this negative cycle and change to a positive expectation, it can be helpful to hear about others who’ve already done what you are seeking to accomplish.
To get out of this negative cycle and change to a positive expectation, it can be helpful to hear about others who’ve already done what you are seeking to accomplish.
Your ideas of what is possible can hold you back. Reading about how others accomplished something can be great inspiration for yourself. It can show you what is possible, and open you up to possibilities you hadn’t considered before. It’s just important to keep in mind that you don’t want to copy anybody else’s path, but finding your own.
Related to the former point is the idea of letting yourself be inspired through great pieces of art, literature, and music. These masterpieces “channel” a particular energy that has often been called muse, and that you also want to access when working on your masterpieces. Human greatness can be found in many places, including museums, such as the Van Gogh Museum
in Amsterdam.
33. STOP negative self-talk
Often, your negative self-talk can get in the way of what you most want. When it comes to finding your passion, this specifically relates to you thinking that this may not be possible for you. Exploring methods such as Neuro-linguistic Programming
(NLP)
can help you stop this.
34. CHANGE your limiting beliefs
Find out what limiting beliefs stop you from living your passion (such as “it’s not possible,” “I can’t have what I want” etc.)—and start changing those. Again, techniques such as NLP can help you with this.
35. MOVE OUT of the money-meaning dilemma
One common limiting belief is the money-or-meaning dilemma, which is the belief that you can either be financially stable, or live your passion.
Obviously, if you think that following your passion might get you broke will make it less likely that you allow yourself to feel it fully. You can read more about how to move out of the money-or-meaning dilemma in my articles here and here.
36. EXPECT to be challenged
Our culture subconsciously teaches us the idea that living our passion and purpose can be a walk on the beach. Don’t fall for this trap as it could lead to you becoming discouraged too easily when your path is challenging. Instead, expect to be challenged. Elizabeth Gilbert explains this in a short interview snippet you can watch below.
37. Learn to love the word NO
Learn to say “no” to the things that don’t light you up so you can say “yes” to whatever does—yes lives in the land of no. You can read more about how to do this in my article here.
38. Come to terms with INHERENT limitations
Come to terms with the fact that everything you do will likely have moments that you don’t like—for instance, even though someone may love to be a coach, they may not like to do accounting. Don’t let this stop you. As you progress on your path, you may find a way to delegate or outsource some or most of the tasks you don’t enjoy.
39. Accomplish TIME mastery
Time mastery is important because it gives you more time to experiment with different passions. Arguably, the biggest piece of time mastery is not learning how to juggle everything you have on your plate, it’s developing the discernment of what is really crucial---and what isn’t.
40. If nothing helps, commit to NOT finding your passion
If you are already super-committed, but haven’t been able to find your passion, it may be time to try a different strategy which basically uses reverse psychology
to your advantage: commit to not finding your passion. Right now, you may have a lot of energy tied up in your desire to find your passion.
Sometimes, that energy can get to tighten up so much that it stops you from achieving the very thing you are looking for. In this case, a good antidote is to commit to whatever you wish to avoid. This brings some humor and lightness into the situation, and often breaks the negative circle of more and more pressure.
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Section 3: Community & Support (No. 41-47)
41. JOIN the StartingBloc community
The StartingBloc community is a fellowship of over 2500 people from around the world who are dedicated to making a positive impact in the world. Being a fellow gives you access to the wisdom of this amazing network.
In order to join it, you need to attend one of their Institutes across the U.S. (including Washington, D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, and New Orleans). You can find out more here.
42. Find out who is ready to SUPPORT you
While it may be necessary to upgrade your social circle (see No. 27), you may also already have people who can relate to your desire to find your passion. By talking to your friends, you can find out who that is---and who you should stay away from.
43. Attend, or create, an IN-PERSON meetup group for like-minded people
Meetup
is a social networking portal that allows people to, well, meet up. Depending on where you live, there may already be meetups for people who care about the topics you care about. If you can’t find any, you can start one yourself!
44. Join, or create, an ONLINE community of like-minded people
If you live somewhere where you can’t find an in-person community (or even if you do, but what to meet more people), consider joining an online community of people who care about the topics you care about. You can also always create your own online community. A simple Facebook group will do to get you started. For instance, I have created the Facebook group Work You Love Coach Community which you're welcome to join.
45. ATTEND, or create, an in-person Live Your Legend meetup
46. JOIN the Live Your Legend online community
You can also join the “Live Your Legend” online community. While there are different groups, the Live Your Legend - Action & Accountability Team
(a Facebook group) is a good place to start.
47. WORK with me (Work You Love Coach) or another coach
Often, you need more than just a community or friends to make big life changes. A coach can help with accountability, create an outside support structure and serve as a guide. This typically makes the journey to your new destination in life easier.
The most important aspect to consider when you are looking for a coach is mutual fit.
I often help clients connect to their passion and purpose. Would you like to find out more about my coaching services? If so, I invite you to click here.
The most important aspect to consider when you are looking for a coach is mutual fit.
I often help clients connect to their passion and purpose. Would you like to find out more about my coaching services? If so, I invite you to click here.
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Section 4: Resources (No. 48-66)
48. “What Color is your Parachute?“ by Richard Nelson (book)
This is the arguably world’s most popular job-search book. It gets updated every year. You can find out more about the book, and other related resources here. Depending on your age, you may also be interested in the books “What color is your parachute? For Retirement” and “What color is your parachute? For teens.”
49. “The Quarter Life Breakthrough” by Adam Smiley Poswolsky (book)
50. “Refuse to Choose: A Revolutionary Program for Doing Everything That You Love” by Barbara Sher (book)
This book is particularly helpful for people who feel that they have too many interests and potential passions. If this describes you, you may be what Barbara Sher calls a “scanner.” You can find out more about this book, and other similarly interesting resources by the author here.
51. Mark Silver’s “An Ode to Diapers: Finding What You’re Truly Passionate About” (free article)
An article by Mark Silver, founder of Heart of Business, about what changing diapers has to do with finding one’s passion. You can read it here.
52. Jessica Hagy: “20 Ways to Find Your Calling” (free article)
In her Forbes article, Jessica Hagy gives excellent advices coupled with graphs that really drive the point home. You can read it here.
53. Scott Dinsmore’s “The One Thing You MUST Do the Moment You Quit or Get Fired!” (free article)
If you have just lost or left your job, this article is a good reminder of the opportunity that lies in your current situation. You can read it here.
54. Scott Dinsmore’s TEDx talk: “How to find work you love” (free video)
This TEDx talk by Scott Dinsmore, found of Live Your Legend, was filmed in October 2012, but is just as fresh as ever. It will take you less than 18 minutes to watch and contains an interactive transcript. You can access it here.
55. Emilie Wapnick’s TEDx talk: “Why some of us don't have one true calling” (free video)
In her TEDx talk, writer Emilie Wapnick talks about "multipotentialite”---a term that describes people who have many different interests and jobs during a lifetime. It is under 13 minutes and contains an interactive transcript. You can access it here.
56. Adam Leipzig’s TEDx talk: “How to know your life purpose in 5 minutes” (free video)
In this short and humorous presentation, Adam Leipzig asks you a few questions that might help you feel differently about your life purpose. You can watch the 10-minute video here.
57. Elizabeth Gilbert’s TED talk: “Your elusive creative genius” (free video)
This TED talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of “Eat, Pray, Love” is particularly insightful for people whose passion directly relates to creativity. It is under 20 minutes and contains an interactive transcript. You can access it here.
58. Brené Brown’s TEDx talk: “The power of vulnerability” (free video)
At first glance, the title of Brené Brown’s TEDx talk may not directly relate to connecting to your passion. However, there is an exquisite vulnerability in allowing yourself to do what you really came here to do. Watching this talk will allow you to appreciate vulnerability more. It is under 21 minutes and contains an interactive transcript. You can access it here.
59. Brené Brown’s presentation: “Why your critics aren't the ones who count” (free video)
Something that often stops people from giving everything to their passion is the fear of being criticized. This presentation by Brené Brown can help you move beyond that. You can watch the 23-minute video above.
60. Cal Newport’s presentation: “Follow Your Passion” Is Bad Advice (free video)
In this talk, Cal Newport explains why he thinks “follow your passion” is bad advice, and what to do instead. He also puts forward the idea that there is no pre-existing passion. You can watch the 22-minute video here.
61. Tony Robbin’s presentation: “Find Your True Gift” (free video)
According to this presentation by Tony Robbins, there are 3 types of gifts (The Talent, Manager/Leader, Entrepreneur). Discover which one fulfills you the most can help you in creating the career path that works best for you. You can watch the 6-minute video here.
62. Gallup's Clifton StrengthsFinder (test)
Despite its name, the test helps people identify their talents (not strengths). Knowing one’s talents is important, because these natural inclinations can most easily be developed into strengths which can help us be successful. And the more people can use their strengths at work, the more engaged and happy they typically are in their work.
The test assesses 34 talents. Discovering your top 5 strength costs 15 USD (or the equivalent in other currencies) and is generally sufficient. You can take the test here.
63. “Repairing Core Fractures” by Dawn Clark (course)
While all of Dawn Clark’s courses can make it easier for people to find their passion, “Repairing Core Fractures” is often the most crucial. That is because a loss of core strengths may inhibit your ability to fully connect with their passion. This can be due to many things, including being in a critical environment when you grew up.
The online course “Repairing Core Fractures” helps you to recover those core strengths so that you can access them once again. It comes with codes which are personalized for you. You can get access to it here. (This is an affiliate link so I receive a commission for products purchased through that link.)
64. “The WTH am I doing with my life?!” eKit by Alex Baisley (course)
Instead of myopically focusing on helping people find their passion, Alex Baisley views life as something that requires 5 key ingredients. Finding your passion, but getting the other one’s wrong won’t get you happiness. He also puts forward the idea that our calling is not a destination, but a way of living. His 11-module video course “WTH am I doing with my life?!” is available for the incredibly generous price of 1$ (Canadian) here.
65. Live Your Legend’s Toolkit (free toolkit)
A free toolkit containing workbooks, ebooks, templates, and posters which relate to creating work you love. You can get it here.
66. Work You Love Guide (free ebook)
My free ebook explains which four “legs” work you love rests on, as well as the difference between purpose, passion and path.
It also describes the “golden triangle” that needs to be activated if you want to leave your full footprint in the world. You can get it here.
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Section 5: Introspection (No. 67-78)
67. Set GOALS for your life
Goals function like a compass, steering you into the right direction. If you want to find out more about the importance of goal setting, watch this 3-minute video by 2000 Olympic gold medalist, Laura Wilkinson, here.
Once you have come up with a list of goals, focus on the ones which are heartfelt, specific and scary (see No. 25
about the Yes Yes Hell No concept). You can also participate in my 7-day challenge which helps you claim your inspirational goals here.
68. Think BIG
Often, we don’t allow ourselves to fully own our dreams. There are a few question coaches often use to get you past this block. See if any of these questions work for you:
- “What would I do if I knew I couldn’t fail?”
- “If I had total faith in my path, what would I create?”
- “If I could wave a realistic magic wand, what changes would I see?”
69. REVERSE-ENGINEER your life
Imagine your own funeral and obituary – what would you like to be remembered for? If you want to take this a step further, you can evenwrite your own obituary. Once you know what you want your legacy to look like, you can reverse-engineer
it.
These questions might help:
- Where would you have to be 20 years (or 10 years) from now to leave this legacy?
- Where do you need to be in 5 years?
- In 1 year?
- What do you have to do this quarter?
- And what can you change today to make that happen?
70. MEDITATE
Spend some time in meditation, as this allows new insight to come through. There are many ways to meditate (sitting, walking, with eyes open, with eyes closed…) so find a form that works for you. You can even find guided meditations on life purpose on YouTube here.
71. Go on a vision-seeking RETREAT
Even more than meditation, a multiple-day retreat can be helpful in clarifying one's vision and goals through self-exploration. Going on a retreat might involve traveling to a remote or quiet location, often in nature, and cutting away things that can distract your energy (internet, phone, TV, interactions with others etc.).
If you design your own retreat, keep in mind that the main intention is to strip away distractions so that you can get in touch with deeper aspects of yourself, such as your purpose.
72. Spend time JOURNALING
Journaling itself is such a great idea as it helps you to order your thoughts. If you want to take it one step further, use your non-dominant hand to write about finding your passion. Writing with your non-dominant hand can feel weird, but it gets you out of your routine (see No. 89) which often allows new insights to arise.
73. Keep a DREAM journal
Sigmund Freud
remarked that dreams are the royal road to the unconscious---and it is this road that dream journaling utilizes to gain insights. Dream journaling can be practiced through diverse ways such as by asking oneself a question right before bed and then writing down any answers that arise from the subconscious or dreams in a journal placed next to the bed before going to sleep.
74. Get into the daily habit of writing MORNING PAGES
Morning pages is a technique developed by Julia Cameron
which she introduces in her groundbreaking book “The Artist’s Way.” It entails writing three pages in a stream-of-consciousness-way every morning, just after getting up. This allows you to clear the mental clutter, and access new ideas. You can find more about it here.
Just like Artist Dates (see No. 95), the practice of writing Morning Pages is something you can either do by itself, or in conjunction with the entire process suggested by Cameron.
75. Write a LETTER to your passion
If you have a hard time connecting with your passion (or if you want to improve your connection with it), how about you treat it like you would treat a person you wanted to create a relationship with?
Grab a sheet of paper, and write a letter to it. You can start with the words “Dear passion, …”
If this feels weird, don’t let it stop you. Nobody needs to know about this letter.
76. Look at your OWN struggles
Sometimes what we struggled with the most in our lives relates to our purpose. For instance, Sarah Hillware
founded the organization Girl’s Health Ed---which empowers girls and young women---after struggling with low self-esteem issues herself.
Why is it possible that your own struggles relate to your purpose? As uncomfortable as it is, struggling with an issue for a long time is a great way to learn a lot about it, to understand other people who also have a challenge with this topic, and to develop a desire to help them.
Why is it possible that your own struggles relate to your purpose? As uncomfortable as it is, struggling with an issue for a long time is a great way to learn a lot about it, to understand other people who also have a challenge with this topic, and to develop a desire to help them.
77. Take some time to simple BE
Finding your passion is not something you can force to happen. It requires a certain amount of receptivity, and being too driven can sometimes backfire. A good antidote to that is deliberately taking some time to not do anything, to focus on being instead of doing. This down time will recharge you and often also allows new insight to arise (see also No. 17).
78. Reconnect with what you LOVE about your work
Leadership and management expert Steve Farber repeatedly points out
that it's important to find something about your work that you do love. He also states that "Love is good business."
Reconnecting with what you love about your work can increase your work satisfaction right where you are. It can also have a positive impact on the productivity of those around you, in particular if you are in a formal leadership position. For instance, after one of my clients reconnected with what she loved about her company, she reported an increase in her personal work satisfaction and the company's sales.
Reconnecting with what you love about your work can increase your work satisfaction right where you are. It can also have a positive impact on the productivity of those around you, in particular if you are in a formal leadership position. For instance, after one of my clients reconnected with what she loved about her company, she reported an increase in her personal work satisfaction and the company's sales.
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Section 6: Elimination (No. 79-85)
79. Watch LESS shows, news & movies
Limit your consumption of shows, news and movies. Generally, watching something on TV (or Netflix etc.) is a form of passive consumption. Since your passion requires active creation, you will need to be in a different state of mind to access it.
Plus, by spending less time passively consuming something, you will have more time to explore what interests you.
80. Start a READING DIET
This is another idea from Julia Cameron’s book “The Artist’s Way.” For a week, read as little as possible. Chances are that you will have to read something for work. However, even reducing your non-essential reading can give you more space and energy to make the switch from consumer to creator.
81. Get clear about WHAT you don’t like
Sometimes it is much easier to get clear about what you don’t like than about what you do. Use this to your advantage by creating a list of what you really don’t like—and then find a way to bring the opposite into your professional live. For instance, if you dislike sitting by yourself in a cubicle, find a way to interact with people.
82. Get clear about WHOM you don’t like
A part of the journey of finding your passion includes discovering who you want to serve, who you want to surround yourself with, and who you want to support you in creating what you wish to create.
It can be hard to live your passion if you are surrounded with a lot of toxic people. The antidote to that is to figure out what your red flags are (for customers/clients, co-workers/partners, supporters) and to stay away from these people.
83. CUT DOWN excessive expenses
If you have excessive expenses, they can keep you from feeling safe enough to explore your passion. Reducing your expenses can give you the certainty that you could also sustain yourself on a lower income, and it frees you from golden handcuffs.
84. REDUCE excessive belongings
Related to the last point, you may also feel trapped by your belongings. Having clutter around can keep you from finding clarity, and focusing on what matters. A good antidote for this is to learn about minimalism and simple living, for instance from The Minimalists.
85. Play the 30-Day MINIMALISM GAME
If you are ready to take the last point one step further, you can play the 30-Day Minimalism game. This will help you to significantly reduce your belongings within a month.
Since most of our belongings tie us to the past, going through this game can also give us a fresh start. You can find out more about this game in my article here.
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Section 7: Exploration (No. 86-100)
86. Dare to suck
Once thing that often stops people from finding and expressing their passion is fear of screwing up. It’s this fear which keeps people from taking risks and stretching beyond their comfort zone. Do the opposite by giving yourself permission to screw up and fail---while giving it your best shot. In other words, as the Brothers Koren encourage,
dare to suck! You can read more about this concept here.
87. Make it safe to suck
If you give yourself permission to suck (see the previous point), also honor the flipside of that choice by making it safe to suck.
For instance, if you read your poetry or share your own music for the first time, find a caring and well-intentioned audience. Learn from your mistakes and find a way to make it up to anybody you might disappoint along the way.
88. Start a blog
A blog can be a great way to experiment with finding your way, while also beginning to share whatever you do with the world (even if it’s only a few people at first). If this sounds interesting, check out Scott Dinsmore’s detailed article
on why blogging is so helpful when it comes to finding your passion, and how to get started even if you have no tech-experience.
89. Do something different
It’s hard to connect with your passion if you are stuck in your routine. Switch it up a little to shake things up in a good way. For instance, take a different route to work, or change your typical meal plan. You may even want to switch which hand you brush your teeth.
90. Do something new
Find something (that is safe, legal etc.) that you have never done before and do it. It can be something small, or something big that you always dreamed about. Doing something new shows you that change is possible, and allows you to access a different state of mind.
90. Wear multiple hats at once
Finding out which hats we really like to wear (designer, marketer, financial officer, CEO…) can take a long time. Thankfully, there are shortcuts. If you work in a startup (or a similar environment), you likely will be able to have to wear multiple hats at the same time. This can make it much faster for you to discover what you really enjoy.
92. Make your own luck: ask
This is an interesting process I learned while I participated in StartingBloc (see No. 41). It consists of getting together with a group of people and giving everybody a short amount of time (say, 5 minutes) to ask for something specific, and receive suggestions from everybody else on how we can accomplish that.
This exercise is most helpful if you do it with people you don’t often interact with, since your friends and family already help you in achieving what you want. But even with friends, it can be helpful to just ask for what you want, and see if somebody has an idea that can help you accomplish it.
93. Make your own luck: open eyes and ears
Related to this idea of making your own luck is a general openness and perceptiveness to what is around you. This allows you to find opportunities you otherwise may have never find.
The practice of open eyes and ears can include things such as checking blackboards, social media, and magazines for opportunities that light you up.
94. Travel
When finding your passion, it is imperative to have an open mind. Few things help open your mind like travel, particularly if you venture of the beaten path and in cultures you are not familiar with.
95. Weekly Artist Dates
Weekly Artists Dates is another technique suggested by Julia Cameron in her book “The Artist’s Way.” Cameron advocates setting aside some time every week for an artist date---which is any solo activity that lights up your inner artist. The key is to find something that feels like play, whether that is going to a café, walking on the beach, or going rollerblading. You can find more about it here.
96. Work with “The Artist’s Way”
While you are at it, you may also consider getting, and working with Cameron’s book “The Artist’s Way.” It contains a 12-week process which helps you to access your creativity. You can get it here.
97. Explore if there is a different way to practice what you’re already trained in
People who search for their passion often think that their passion must lie outside of their current line of work or previous training. Sometimes that is true and they chose an area of work in the past that isn’t at all in alignment with their hearts.
However, sometimes people dislike their current line of work only because of how it’s being practiced. For example, somebody who became a doctor because they wanted to help people may feel frustrated about having so little time to spend around patients because of how their workplace is being run.
If you are in a similar situation, sometimes learning about a different way to use the skills you already have can help you rekindle your passion. For instance, a sound engineer who had gotten tired of spending weekends around drunk people was excited to learn about soundhealing (a form of healing which uses sound in an intentional way). Many lawyers feel much better about their chosen profession once they find out about the integrative law
approach.
98. Job shadowing
If there is a line of work you find interesting, you may want to consider shadowing someone with that profession for a workday or work week. This will allow you to find out more about what that work entails, and if it’s something that you might enjoy doing longer term. If you cannot find a job shadow host in real life, you could also check out this virtual job shadow service
(requires the purchase of an individual license for $29.95 for 1 year).
99. Volunteer work
Just like job shadowing, volunteer work is a good way to explore types of work that you are interested in. The difference is that volunteering puts you into a more active role. Because volunteering is typically only a part-time commitment, you can safely explore new activities in your free time. Bonus: you get to give back to your community.
100. Apprentice- or internship
Apprentice- and internships can also be a good way to try out something different and make new contacts in an area you are interested in. They are typically more geared towards learning something about a profession than volunteering and may require a higher time commitment. However, if you can find a part-time apprentice- or internship, you may be able to squeeze that into your normal life.
A good example for a part-time, completely virtual apprenticeship is Elephant Journal’s Apprenticeship in Social Media, Modern Media, Journalism Ethics, Writing, & Editing. You can read more about it here.
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Section 8: Celebration (No. 101)
101. Close the circle by celebrating and allowing yourself to feel gratitude
Whenever you connect with a passion of yours and express it in the word, take time to celebrate!
Gratitude is one of the most important practices in life.
As Marie Forleo explains in her video about gratitude here, it’s important to be as specific as possible about what you’re grateful for. So, what are 5 specific things you are grateful for?
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