Finding your passion is a lifelong pursuit. Some may take years to discover their true talents, interests and pursuits, while others seem to hone in on them at an early age. Whatever the case is for you, there are plenty of steps you can take to get closer to uncovering what it is you love to do, and how to apply it to your everyday life. Finding your passion isn’t always about landing the perfect job, either—it can be as simple as taking up a new hobby or carving out time daily for your creative pursuits.
If you’re totally stuck, try one (or all!) of these strategies for finding your purpose, understanding what you love, and living it every single day.
1. Remember your childhood dreams and passions
Whether you dreamed of being a ballerina or a doctor when you were a kid, our childhood goals can usually give us a clue as to what we should be doing as adults. Maybe you loved painting for hours, or perhaps you had an aptitude for taking care of pets. Whatever the case, taking a moment to jot down the passions and pursuits you had as a child can be a great way to provide some insight into your path as an adult.
2. Ask yourself what you would do if money was no object
Would you move to the beach and write novels? Would you teach people how to sail? Would you start an organic avocado farm? While in reality, we know that money is, in fact, an object, pretending it isn’t can be a fun way to open new doors that you may never have considered before. When you let go of limiting beliefs, you’ll realize that the world is a much bigger and more exciting place than you thought. Leaving a steady job to pursue your passion may not be an immediate option, but there’s nothing stopping you from working towards your goals in your spare time.
3. Take action
Often, we spend so much time hemming and hawing over what to do next that we get stuck in our heads. If you’ve been wondering what step to take next for a while, often, a leap of faith can be the best way to set you in the right direction. Whether you’ve been thinking about volunteering at a charity organization or enrolling in a workshop, you never know the opportunities that will come from simply taking action on something that piques your interest.
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4. Read biographies of people you find inspiring
Sometimes, perusing the biography section at the library is the best way to get motivated and gain a new perspective. Whether you’re interested in writers, artists, or business moguls, reading biographies can help to illuminate your path and inspire you to take the next step in finding your passion.
5. Do what you love
At the end of the day, finding your passion is really quite simple: explore, follow your interests and be sure to incorporate them into your daily life one way or another. Whether it’s squeezing 15 minutes of creative writing into your morning routine, or starting a catering business, the scale of your pursuit doesn’t matter. It’s all about responding to those little nudges along your path and feeding your creative impulses—they will never lead you astray!
Mackenzie Patterson
Mackenzie Patterson is a Toronto-based freelance writer and blogger. She's passionate about health, wellness and style, and you'll often find her reading self-help books in nature, catching a yoga class or writing in Toronto cafés.
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