Passion is putting in more energy into something

“Passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something.” If you decode the definition, you will realize that both desire and enthusiasm are just emotions. And we all know that emotions are subjected to change. I found one such example in my life itself. As a young girl, I was passionate about Barbies. I would spend hours playing with them, dressing them up but today it is just another doll to me. So, there is clearly something missing in the definition of passion.

The missing part in defining passion. When you dive deeper, you come across the origin of the word Passion. The word passion is derived from the Latin word "passionem that stands for suffering". In Christianity, it is a small period in the life of Jesus. It began with his victorious entry into Jerusalem and ended with his crucification. This explains the missing part in the definition. It is fruitful suffering. Fruitful Suffering could be considered as metamorphosis. A process in which a caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly. It is a process through which you unleash a higher version of yourself.

While on the other hand, we often associate passion with the activities that we enjoy. However, in order to become competent in the activities, there is a substantial amount of suffering and sacrifices involved. If you want to become a better musician, you need to spend hours perfecting the chords. This means you need to give up all those hours that are being spent on Netflix or mindless browsing. People who tend to live an impactful life do so by focusing their energy on an activity that they deem will be fruitful.

The Luxury of following your passion is just great and nothing could be better to be engaged in an activity that gives you joy and promises a fruitful result. However, following your passion is a luxury. It is a luxury because most of us don’t yet have access to it as most of us have not found or developed it yet. You can only follow your passion if you know what your passion is. But there is nothing to worry if you do not know it.

You don’t create your life first and then live it. You create it by living it. Similarly, you don’t need to find your passion first and then pursue it. You can develop it by doing it. As a common man, looking to find your passion, there is a high possibility, you are amidst the crowd where you have not found it yet. It is because you have not explored the areas that you maybe passionate about.

It is fine to not know what your passion is. In fact, I would say that you are lucky if you don’t know what is your passion. Because now you are at a treasure hunt with no roadmap. You no longer have to follow a path where everything is laid in front of you. Every milestone set to be achieved and every deviation is nothing more than a distraction keeping you away from your ultimate goal.

You have the option of choosing and creating your path. Explore it, create it, set your own milestones as you develop a passion for it. And the best part about the hunt is that the real treasure sits inside you unleashing itself bit by bit as you level up a notch. Follow these 3 simple tips as you buckle up on your journey to find your passion.

And if there is no path, create your path. If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path. — Joseph Campbell. As a teenager just out of school, you are compelled to stand at the crossroads of your life to make a decision. According to everyone, this decision will possibly shape your career and therefore your entire life. You seek for guidance and the most common advice that you get is to “Follow your Passion.” Cheers!