Living life with Passion and Purpose

As a teenager, my father would say: “Find a hobby that you like to do, make that your job, and you will never work a day in your life”. Little did I know he was on to something. He understood that life is what you make of it - so why not enjoy it? More importantly, you should enjoy it by doing something you love (your passion) and turn that into your purpose.

As a Career Counselor, I encounter people who are struggling to find the right job or the right career path for them. They have no idea what they want to be when they “grow up” and they come to me for help. I often ask the question: What would you do for free and absolutely love it? Most people only have to think for a few minutes and they blurt out a response with excitement in their eyes and smiles on their faces. Little do they know, this ‘thing’ is really their Passion and for some, a greater Purpose: it was the thing they were searching for without realizing that they possessed it all along.

We spend hours upon hours reading book after book, and watching TV show after TV show trying to figure out what our Purpose and Passions are in life when the answers often lie within ourselves. The challenge then becomes for us to spend enough time paying attention to the hobbies and habits that consume our lives. It’s in these everyday moments that our true Passions and Purposes lie dormant waiting to be discovered.

Your first step should be to ask yourself: What would I do for free and absolutely love it? Try not to think too intently on what this could be and allow your response to be unrestricted. If you are having a hard time coming up with something try asking these follow up questions:

1)   If I could do anything in the world what would it be?

2)   What gives me the most enjoyment in life?

3)   What are my strengths?

4)   What are the things that I do better than anyone I know?

Once you have answered these questions your next step is to look at your life and examine the many ways you already display these passions. You might need to ask a close friend or family member to help you, as our friends and loved ones can offer great insight into how we display our passions without even realizing it. I’ve found that passion often directs us to our purpose and it’s through our exploration and explanation of these passions that we gain clarity on the purpose behind them.

I encourage you to take a minute, an hour or even a day and think about what your Purpose and Passions are in life? You just might be surprised by what you discover!