When the renowned marketing expert Guy Kawasaki landed his first job at Apple, he stumbled upon his vocational passion unknowingly. He had his sights set on working in Silicon Valley, but he wasn’t sure in what capacity. It wasn’t until 1983 that he became one of the first Macintosh evangelists. Despite lacking prior experience, Guy seized the opportunity and followed his gut feeling. Today, he stands as one of the most successful marketing gurus in the world.
This is the journey of finding passion. We all wish for our passions to be apparent and immediate, expecting them to be something readily rewarding. In reality, your passion is often right under your nose, and realizing it may require stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks. This process could take years and may even involve engaging in activities that initially do not interest you.
For instance, Guy Kawasaki didn’t know that brand evangelism was his destiny; it was something he discovered accidentally after years of work and learning while on his way to Silicon Valley.
Finding and pursuing your passion is entirely possible with the right strategy and mindset. This article explores how to find your passion and apply it to personal and professional development, enriching your life.
Why Is It Hard for People to Find Their Passion?
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” — Howard Thurman
Finding your passion can sometimes stem from the need for a new job, a new career, a healthier lifestyle, or various other reasons. Maybe you’re finding your current industry quite painful and are yearning for more growth and progress. Or perhaps something in your life just feels “off,” and your current situation no longer fits you. These are all common scenarios. However, many still choose to proceed cautiously and continue with their jobs, even if it means doing things they don’t enjoy.
1. Prospect Theory
One reason many people struggle to find and live their passion is the Prospect Theory. Proposed by D. Kahneman and A. Tversky in 1979, the Prospect Theory, also known as the Prospect Theory or the Horizon Theory, explains individual decision-making behavior. It’s a behavioral theory connected to loss aversion, explaining how people weigh potential risks against certainty. The Prospect Theory shows that people have a “losses loom larger than gains” mentality, which is why many choose not to seek or pursue their passions.
For some, the potential losses (real or imagined) they might incur from pursuing their passion seem greater than any potential gain. For instance, an accountant might have a love for flowers and gardening. She might spend all her free time taking care of her plants and studying horticulture. Working as a gardener or in agriculture might be her secret passion. However, she decides to continue being an accountant because she doesn’t want to lose her stable income. For her, losing a decent salary is more important than missing out on doing what she loves.
In these cases, dedicating yourself to personal growth helps transform your mindset and guide positive emotions. By breaking any negative thought patterns, you can start to reduce your fears and anxiety, paving the way for forming new thoughts and beliefs. For example, instead of thinking, “If I try something else, it’ll be hard to find a job,” think, “Establishing myself in a new field I love would be exciting and fun!”
2. Fear of Failure
While some may fear loss, others simply fear failure, another reason people find it hard to discover their passion. In this case, consider redefining your definitions of failure and success.
What does failure really look like? Is it attempting something new and not succeeding, or is it not trying at all? Finding your passion and choosing to pursue it requires careful thought and consideration. Ensure you are examining it from all angles with a clear and positive mindset. Risks and sacrifices are inevitable, but chasing your passion boils down to one question: Is the pain of punishment or the pain of regret worse?
Discover Your Passion with 3 Questions
Just like a phoenix that rises from its own ashes, our passions can be reborn from their own embers. — Goethe
You can ask yourself three simple questions to help unveil where your true passions lie. Once you’ve pondered each query, take a moment to reflect on your responses. Don’t worry if you have multiple answers for each question—that’s completely fine! The key is to identify where your answers overlap.
01/03 What Unique Talents and Skills Do I Possess?
Grab a piece of paper and jot down your skills, then take a close look at each one. What unique abilities do you have? What can you do with ease? Are there things you’ve done since childhood without even realizing? Many professional writers, for instance, acknowledge that they started journaling at a young age. Spend time thinking about your unique talents, stretching from your childhood through to adulthood.
02/03 What Am I Passionate About?
Activities that consume a lot of your free time, especially those that make you lose track of time, are good indicators of what you truly enjoy and might be passionate about. Do you find yourself baking for children at an orphanage every weekend? Or perhaps hosting a dinner party every week? While this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re passionate about volunteering or dinner parties per se, it certainly provides clues. Maybe you’re passionate about helping others, or everything related to food and cooking. Pay attention to the sense of reward, or intrinsic motivation, you feel when engaging in these activities, as it points toward potential passions.
03/03 What Rewards Can I Reap?
Unless you’re passionate about something utterly nonexistent or highly unusual, there’s a way to earn from it. For example, if abstract painting is your hobby, the simple act of painting might not bring financial rewards. However, selling your completed artworks at a local art market could turn your passion into a rewarding venture. Pursuing your passion might require adjustments to make it viable, sustainable, and beneficial in the long run.
Embarking on this journey to discover your passions is a rewarding venture in itself, and these questions are your first step towards a more colorful and fulfilling life. Enjoy the journey!
5 Steps to Find Your Passion
Passion has the power to turn the wisest among us into fools and the most foolish into wise individuals. — La Rochefoucauld
Sometimes, the questions mentioned earlier may lead to a variety of possible answers and options, which could potentially leave you feeling perplexed about which one to follow and nurture. To obtain a clearer picture and narrow down your answers, follow these steps:
01/05 Write Down Your Mission Statement
What do you ultimately want to be remembered for? What matters most to you? Use these prompts to clarify your mission statement, which will serve as the foundation of your passion.
02/05 Seek Opinions
How do others view your skills and passions? Do you know anyone who has discovered their passion and put it into practice? How did they go about it? Seeking advice and feedback from others is a great way to gain clarity.
03/05 Research Your Options
Make sure to do thorough research. How viable is your passion? Have others successfully navigated through the challenges? Are people willing to pay for it? Weigh the details and insights about living your passion.
04/05 Give It a Try
If you’re still uncertain, give it a go. For example, if you wish to make a living by baking wedding cakes, create some business cards, and try to land your first client. If things go well and they’re happy, keep it up! If not, learn from the experience and improve. Trial and error is always a good approach when trying out new things.
05/05 Connect with Others
Building connections with like-minded individuals in a particular hobby or interest is very important. Networking provides valuable insights that can be applied to your pursuit and may also lead to important business relationships, aiding in the advancement of your plans.
Conclusion
The courage for a great leader to realize a vision comes from passion, not position. — John Maxwell
Living with patience, passion, and connections will improve everything else in your life. A life with a purpose can motivate you to do your best work, spread positive energy, inspire others, and take your career and life to the next level. For instance, if you are a leader, it can motivate and inspire those following you, boost team morale, and help others pursue their passions. For companies, it can result in higher productivity, profits, and longevity.
That’s what living a fulfilling life is all about. The small daily challenges sometimes obscure the bigger picture, but when you find your passion, everything aligns.
