Passion - The starting point

Passion and Ikigai

In a chaotic, and sometimes mundane world, many of us find ourselves asking, “What is my passion?” or “How do I recharge and keep moving forward?” Y’all know that I revert back to the Ikigai as I am searching for that purpose. It’s like the greatest trip ever…Neverending! It’s a constant evolution that you get to choose your own adventure too! Remember those books from the 80s!?

What is Ikigai?

Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese term that translates to “reason for being.” It’s a concept that brings together four fundamental elements:

• What is your passion
• What you are good at?
• What the world needs?
• What gives you reward

Passion: The Starting Point

Passion is often the first element people focus on when exploring Ikigai. It’s the thing that makes your heart race, that you can’t wait to get out of bed to do. But passion alone doesn’t complete the picture; it’s just one piece of the puzzle. You have to focus on each step in this journey and understanding your passion takes time and self awareness.?

Balancing Passion with Purpose

Being passionate about something is a daunting task if you don’t naturally have it. There are people out there that have deep passionate connections to certain things, Sports, environment, social issues, and for some of us it takes some thinking to find that true passion. We are expecting some type of burning feeling (in a good way) that will provide a connection to something. This is all very vague because it needs to be understood that just because you don’t have that deep feeling for something doesn’t mean you don’t have passion. It just means that you show it in a different way. Just because a person gets tattoos, and paints their house in their favorite team's colors doesn’t mean they like the team more than you…it just means that they need to seek help! Just kidding of course but you need to remain true to yourself and not judge your passions or feelings off of other people. Let’s take a look at passions vs hobbies and how that plays into the Ikigai journey.??

Passion

Definition - A deep, intense interest or enthusiasm for something that drives you. It's often linked to a sense of purpose or calling.

Finding your purpose is rooted in understanding what drives you…When you find that passion every night is like Christmas eve…that wonderful feeling of excitement. It all starts over again every morning and the day is fresh with all the time in the world! Now it’s understanding the difference between excitement and passion. Passion is the calling to something deeper and it’s your core belief that drives you forward.? The balance between passion and hobbies are very clear when you start to zoom out…Let’s take a look at an example.

Hobby vs. Passion:

Hobby: Playing golf is something you love to do, and it brings you joy and satisfaction. You look forward to your tee time and find it hard to sleep the night before because you're excited. This is a classic example of a hobby—an activity that you enjoy in your free time, that helps you unwind and recharge.

Passion: When you start thinking about how you can share your love of golf with others, especially kids who are struggling, the hobby takes on a new dimension. It becomes more than just something you do for fun; it becomes a way to make a positive impact on others' lives. The idea of using golf as a tool to mentor and support disadvantaged youths transforms your love for the game into a passion. Passion, in this example, is driven by a desire to connect with others, give back to the community, and make a difference.

Now you are starting to define your journey - Your excitement and passion for the kids and the mission will clearly shine through and spread quickly to other people who will begin doing the same thing in their communities. Passion is contagious and this is something you WANT to catch!

Overcoming Challenges

The journey to finding and living your passion is not always smooth. You may face doubts, fear of failure, or the pressure of societal expectations. Remember, Ikigai is about balance—don’t rush the process. Take time to explore and let your passion naturally align with the other elements of your life. Perfection is not the goal here…Happiness and clarity is.

Your Ikigai journey is yours and yours alone. This is not an opportunity to compare against others…But instead people will see and feel the change and ask what magic pill, or mystic fountain you have found. This goes back to the personal brand blog that I wrote previously…You want to portray a feeling and that feeling knows no boundaries. Your personal and professional life will both flourish and have a harmonious balance because you yourself have found that balance. Be on the lookout for the next blog where we explore further into the world of Ikigai!