The big question we are often faced with is, “what do you want to do with your life.” For many people, it is one of the biggest struggles they face. How are we supposed to know what we want to do with the rest of our lives?
I remember being asked this post-graduation by everyone around me. I felt confused and lost. How was I supposed to know what I wanted to do at just 20 years old? And then continue to do it for the next 40 years? I knew I had aspirations to become successful and do something big with my life, I just wasn’t sure what it was. I remember thinking that I should just do one thing and stick with it because that’s clearly what everyone else wants me to do. Little did I know that I was so wrong.
As I started to talk to more people about their careers, I realized a lot of people were miserable. They were miserable because they settled down and did not go after their passions and chase their dreams. It became apparent that very few people do something they love and are passionate about. The idea of doing something you aren’t passionate about for your whole life is not the way to live. Life is too short to not go after what you truly want.
If you find it difficult to wake up in the morning, lack motivation, and don’t like what you are doing with your life, you need to start thinking about a career change. The reality is, the longer you stay in your current job, the more unhappy you will be. Regardless of your age, or what you have done up until this point, it is possible to find your passion. Here are some suggestions to figure out how to discover your passion and live a more fulfilling life.
How To Discover Your Passion
Before we get into the suggestions, I wanted to share some words of advice. I know how it feels to be lost and confused. There have been days where I have woken up and felt defeated. If you can relate, just know that things are going to be okay. It is normal to not have your whole life figured out. That is the beauty of life. When you do not know your next plan, it allows you to discover and explore what is to come. Just keep a positive attitude and stay focused!
1. Self Reflection
Reflect on who you are and what you want to accomplish. Often our passions are already within us, we just haven’t figured them out yet. Think about all of the things that you love to do. Maybe you like to paint, volunteer in your community, design the interior of homes, etc. Everyone has something that interests them, even if you have to take some time to think about what that is.
2. Expose Yourself To Different Things
You are not going to be able to find your passion if you don’t try. No one said this was going to be easy. You have to be willing to put in the effort to try out new things, maybe things that are completely out of your comfort zone.
Get out your notebook and look up a list of hobbies online. Write down all of the hobbies that interest you. Remember- these hobbies may be something you are unfamiliar with but have an interest in trying. Once you have your list of hobbies, ask yourself which one you would like to try first. It is important that you only try one hobby at a time. This allows you to determine if this hobby is something you are passionate about while avoiding the distractions of other hobbies that are on your list.
3. Educate Yourself
One of the main benefits of our modern-day world is that we have access to an enormous amount of information. I encourage you to watch videos and read articles related to your interests. You can also opt into taking an online class to see if it’s right for you. There are a variety of online classes that are available for free on Youtube. For example, if you are interested in photography, search “photography class.” There is a long list of tutorials, classes, tips & advice for everyone.
3. Talk To Other People About Their Passions
You probably have people in your life that you look up to. Whether it’s a friend or a family member, you can always learn something from them. Whoever you look up to, ask if they can sit down and talk to you about their lives. Ask them as many questions as you see fit. Questions such as,
- How did you discover what you wanted to do with your life?
- Are you truly happy?
- If you had the option to start life over and choose a different career, would you?
Those are just some examples to ask them. Even if they are passionate about something you don’t have any interest in, you will still be able to gather valuable information to help you with your search.
4. Visualize Your Dream Life
What does your dream life look like to you? Get out your journal and begin to visualize it. You should include as much detail as possible.
- What kind of car do you drive?
- Are you traveling?
- What kind of house do you own?
- Are you happy?
- Do you have children?
- Are you married?
- How do your relationships make you feel?
- What do you do when you have free time?
- Are you living a fulfilled life?
These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself. You may be surprised to learn a lot about yourself during this visualization process. You will be able to truly discover what matters most to you while focusing on the main goal of living a fulfilled and happy life.
5. Don’t Stop Searching
As mentioned, the search for finding your passion is difficult for many. You may feel defeated after spending some time trying to figure it out and still ending up empty-handed. The only way that you will fail at finding your passions is if you give up.
Make sure that you keep trying, even if it takes you months. You may even think you discovered your passion and then realize later on that it wasn’t for you. That is okay. Just start the search over and try again.
Final Thoughts:
Finding your passion is not always the easiest. It will require a lot of time and effort. However, it will be one of the greatest things you ever do. Once you discover your passion, you will find find that your life is more fulfilling and you will start living a life that you love.
