It is said that passion is the key to a happy and fulfilled life. But what if you don’t know what your passion is because you don’t know what you want?“Nothing great in this has been accomplished without passion.” – Gorge Wilhelm Friedrich Hagel
It is said that passion is the key to a happy and fulfilled life. But what if you don’t know what your passion is because you don’t know what you want?
You may have spent your life committed to your work, committed to your family, and committed to your way of life. But now, you may be reaching a place where you start to wonder what’s next.
It’s hard to get anything meaningful done if you don’t believe in all you can be. If you don’t take the time to explore the possibilities, and you’re not afraid to take risks that may or may not work for you.
Passion can mean losing your head, losing control and can also mean overwhelming emotions and possible anger and rage. A passionate murder…lost in a fit of passion.
It can also be an experience following something you love, that sets your world on fire, and makes you feel every day is a gift. That’s how I feel about the work I do and the impact it has on the people I have the honor of working with.
Many years ago, as I reflected on what made my life meaningful, I realized that passion had always been there.
It began with singing as a child in my bedroom, and many years later led me to training as a professional singer, and an invitation to be a lay-cantor for the High Holidays in Paris and Amsterdam singing some of the most profound music I’ve ever sung.
It gave me a desire to write, which as an avid reader all my life inspired me with words. So far, I’ve managed to write three books and countless programs and articles.
It also gave me the drive to earn a black belt in karate at the age of 49 after several years of disciplined training.
It sparked my passion for teaching and advising others based on the many experiences I’ve had throughout my life.
I would not have called it passion at the time, but that’s what it was.
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela
Passion would become an acronym for the journey I’ve taken to become the person I am today, and created these seven steps that inspire and motivate change.
P = Permission. Giving yourself permission to move beyond the limitations and fears that hold you in a negative mindset. Permission to step away from seeking other people’s approval. Permission to grant yourself whatever it is you want, and if you don’t know, then permission to seek the answers, to take a new direction, to make decisions that serve your best and highest needs. It wasn’t always easy, but eventually giving myself permission to achieve my dreams moved beyond needing permission from others.
A – Action. A desire for achievement can’t be done without action. Focus on your objectives, your steps toward it, and if you don’t’ know what that is, be able to ask for help. Action to leave something that’s not working for you. Action to move closer to the things that make the difference in your life. Action to know what you don’t know and find the teachers you need to develop your passion and move beyond the limitations you currently live with.
S = Strength. The quote about women are like teabags. We don’t know our strength until we’ve been steeped in hot water long enough is true. We battle self-doubt, insecurity, and lack of confidence. We fear things that are not true. We limit ourselves in ways that undermine our strengths, and create obstacles we can easily overcome when we test them. In my own life, I was never given encouragement to succeed, and I made many mistakes. But in the process, I developed strength I could never have predicted and gave me a passion for things I could only imagine.
S = Support. As you give yourself permission, take action, and gather strength, you need support. It could be a coach, a teacher, a therapist, or programs that stretch your concept of who you are. I found many of these individuals along the way, and without them I would not be half the person I am today if I had not sought their counsel and advice. Without them, I may not have known which path to take.
I = Inspiration. On this journey called life, inspiration comes from many sources. Some of them have been mentioned, but inspiration is all around you if you are keeping an eye open for it. In books, movies, music, art, videos, talks, friends. You can even find it in nature. Climb a tall mountain and look out across the vistas and you can’t help but be inspired. It gives you confidence to try something new. To stretch yourself further than you thought possible. To find new avenues to explore that will help you tap into your passion.
O = Own It. Developing confidence takes time and a lot of people who believe in you before you believe in yourself. When you take ownership of your skills, your talents, your capabilities, and your self-belief, you become the best version of you. When you no longer hide from the true version of you, people start to take notice. You gain authority and you achieve a lot more.
N = Nurture. Learning how to nurture yourself is critical to connection with your passion. Overachievers know how to keep pushing through the hard stuff, and sometimes have to learn how to back off and give time to reflect, to stop the doing, to be grateful for what is around you, and allow yourself to just be. It also includes nutrition and exercise. Noticing when things are not balanced and taking care of yourself.
Passion is the ability to lose yourself in time and space when you are engaged pursuing what matters to you. When you are passionate about something your body feels like it’s on fire. Your energy is boosted, your attitude is improved and your attention is focused. Everything feels just right.
Finding your passion is essential to living your best life. Share with me your passions?
If you don’t know or you want to develop any of these seven aspects of passion, then check out Transformational Strategies for Success, an immersive, self-reflective personal development program that will help you tap into your passions.
With Transformational Strategies for Success you will take ownership of your amazing skills and talents, be more confident in your choices and claim more authority at work, so you can find greater confidence and comfort across all dimensions of your career and be more passionate about the life you live.