Passion is a buzzword that gets thrown around a lot these days. So much so that it’s almost lost its meaning. The self-help guru will proclaim, “Follow your bliss, follow your passion.” While I support living life with excitement and purpose, what is bliss? What is passion? And how do you find it? This article aims to find an answer to these age-old questions.
What is Passion?
Merriam-Webster defines passion as 1: a strong feeling or emotion, 2: an object of someone’s love, liking, or desire.
As you can see, this leaves things very vague when you are attempting to “find your passion.”
For instance, you could have a passion for drinking tequila, or smoking weed. But is that going to lead you to long term happiness? Maybe short term…haha!
Instead of viewing passion as some secret thing hiding inside of you, that once you discover, your life will be amazing, let’s look at it another way. By starting at the end, then working backwards to the present, I think we will be able to understand passion in a more practical way.
How To Find It
First, what would you like to happen? Where would you like to be in 10, 20 years? What would make you the happiest, most fulfilled, and excited, to wake up to another beautiful day. See this clearly. Visualize it. Feel the emotions and sensations of existing in this space.
Next, after all that is internalized, look at how you got there. Check out the path you followed to get where you are. What actions did you take to make this happen? What mindset shifts did you make to change the trajectory of your life? This is the path of passion.
Your Unique Blueprint
You see, we all have certain skills, dreams, desires already inside of us. That’s what makes us unique. No other person in the Universe has the same exact hopes, wishes, experiences, and interests. It’s on us to find those things that really light up our soul, excite our spirit, and get us in the “zone”.
Another way to figure this out is to think about those things you are interested in when nobody is around. When you are all alone, what do you tend toward? What kind of books do you enjoy reading the most? What do you start talking about at Christmas with the family or the dinner party with your friends? When they’re like, “uh oh, here he goes again talking about ________.” There might be an intense interest there.
Once you find those things that really float your boat, then it’s time to get to work. Make a plan of action, and get started. I think passion comes from the daily actions you take toward reaching your goals. When you are excited to wake up each day, dive into something that rewards you spiritually and intellectually, is fun and entertaining, then you will discover passion in that journey.
Passion shows up on the way, in the process, rather that some epiphany from a singing bush in the desert.
The Magic Diagram
The best way I’ve found to pinpoint the sweet spot is by creating a Venn diagram. Make three circles. One is your talent and skills. What are you really good at? What’s something that comes easily and naturally to you? Ask some people if you don’t know. Next, what do you love? What are you most interested in? What do you find yourself thinking about all the time? And finally, what could bring bring humanity the most value? What can you do to serve your fellow humans and make the world a better place?
In the middle, where those things intersect, you will find your “thing.” Your thing is a project, a business, a journey, that will lead to fulfillment. You will be excited to work on it everyday because you love it. You get in the flow and remain in the zone because it’s a natural skill and you are very good at it. And you will find peace and purpose in the fact that you are serving your fellow humans and making the world a better place with your work.
Hidden, amongst all of that, is your passion. Passion will find you while you are on your journey. You don’t have to look for it. You will attract it naturally as you live with energy, joy, and impact.
This is the exact process I used to create my project Banjo Earth, which has taken me all across the world and produced amazing music, documentaries, friends, and experiences.
Draw your own diagram, find your sweet spot, decide on your “thing”, and get to it. There’s not much time left!
If you want to pinpoint your passion, turbo boost your results, and join a community of inspirational alchemists, then check out my Life in Purpose – 7 Day Mind Mastery Challenge.
Enjoy the Ride!
Andy Eversole, C.H.
HypnoEarth.com