Best Way to Find Your Passion



What’s your passion? I’m not talking about your crush or your BF, not that kind of passion. I am talking about what really sparks you. What you want to do with, well, your life. Some people know exactly what they love to do. You know, like your friend who seemed to have been born pre-med and is never happier than when she is with a test tube. Or the friend who shoots baskets any chance she gets. Or the friend who can’t wait to get to her babysitting job and play with the kids. You’re holding my passion in your hand and reading it: books! Reading ‘em and writing ‘em.

When you follow your passion, you are psyched to get up in the horning to do it. You feel like you are living the life you are sup­posed to be living. You’re in the life that is right for you.

Find Passion Best Way to Find Your Passion

Carol Adrienne is a bestselling author of books including The Purpose of Your Life (William Morrow Company, 1999). She has some questions (adapted with permission from her book series) to get you started finding out the clues that can lead you to discover your passion.

Step 1: Write down several activities you love to do. Say you had a choice of what you could spend your day doing. What kinds of things would you choose?

Step 2: Finish this sentence: “When I was a little kid, I al­ways loved to . . When you are little, you don’t worry as much what others think. You don’t worry about what you are “supposed to like.” You just like it. Name some activities that made you feel this way. Do you miss doing them? Do these activities still excite you? These are clues to your passion.

Step 3: Finish this sentence: “I shine at. . What are you really good at? What do people compliment you on when you do it? Don’t be modest! Look for things that are really easy for you to do. Think of things you may not have been trained in, but are just “good at.” For example, you might be naturally good at dancing, writing, talking, teaching, sewing, daydreaming, listening, surfing, or repairing things.

Sometimes we don’t appreciate things that seem effortless to us. How about that math homework that’s so easy for you even though everyone else is complaining about it? Or how you always help your little sister’s friends with their problems? You need to appreciate that you may be a natural mathematician, a natural mentor, a “natural” something. If you enjoy doing it, you may have clues to your passion.

Step 4: Pay attention to your thoughts, daydreams, and interests. Write down everything that interests you for a week. Re­view what you come up with and watch for any patterns.

Step 5: Finish the sentence: “I am most myself when . . “ Think of some times when you felt like you were truly and deep down the real you. There’s a clue.

Step 6: Review your high points. What activities or situa­tions in the past really excited you? Are they still important to you?  Of all the things you are involved in now, what one or two things stand out as most important to you?

Step 7: Describe someone you admire. This list will be a description of things you would like to do, too. Watch your ten­dency to think, “Oh, that person has special talents. I can’t do that.” Ask yourself what you could do to explore or develop these charac­teristics.

Step 8: What do you keep being drawn to? Now, put to­gether all of the clues. What are common themes? What got you ex­cited when you thought about it? Stay excited . . . and follow your passion.



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