Finding Your Passion In Your Career Choice

Some people simply know what their purpose in life is almost from the moment they have a conscience. I’m sure you have encountered someone who works as a teacher, doctor, landscaper, musician, stay-at-home-mom who simply loves what they do with such passion they cannot wait for the next day to start so they can do what they love to do one more time.

For those lucky ones who know what their passion in life is and can make a living doing so, half the path has already been walked. You wonder if you will ever have such passion for the work that you do or will do. Figuring out what to do is undoubtedly one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. For those of you who cannot consider themselves so lucky as to know what the heck to do with your life, let’s work on that first.

Many of you, just like me, have many interests, talents and passions. You may really like a lot of stuff and may be even better at a few others. On the other hand, you may say that you have no clue whatsoever what your passion is. In either case, I suggest making a list of things you like to do. Seeing things listed on a piece of paper gives them an objectivity that can’t be as easily accomplished when they are mingled together with a thousand other thoughts in your mind. Try to follow some of the ideas described below:

1. Listen to your feelings and intuition. There is most likely a little nag somewhere in the right side of your brain (the side that controls your emotions) reminding you of that which you love the most. Listen in silence and with patience and let that voice guide you.

2. Write down everything that you like to do, no matter how silly it sounds. If you like cutting flowers or listening to music, put it down. Then try to arrange them in order of preference, starting with your favorite thing.

3. After your list is done, use your imagination to come up with ways that you can make a living doing what makes you happy, passionate, and peaceful. If you like cutting flowers and arranging them into vases for yourself and your loved ones, perhaps you can think about becoming a decorator, a landscaper, or a florist.

4. Find out what skills or talents you have that best help you learn the crafts necessary to practice your passion. Use school and community career centers (most services are free) to find out how to create resumes, find internships, attend workshops, and find support from people who have similar interests.

5. Practice, practice, practice. If your goal is to become a singer, you must take singing lessons and perform on a regular basis anywhere you can to perfect your craft and allow others to form an opinion about your abilities. The same applies if you want to become an accountant. Find an internship in an accounting firm that is doing the kind of work that interests you. This exposure gives you experience, sharpens your skills, and helps you get noticed by decision-makers.

6. Determine what it will take to reach that professional goal. Research and study the possibilities. Education is the key to it all. If you’d like to become an actor, find the best acting schools in your city, get books on acting, learn what it takes to go to auditions and get acting jobs. The same will apply to every type of work you would ever want to do.

7. Determine what type of environment and lifestyle you would like to enjoy. Choose a lifestyle that best suits your personality and other interests in your life. Work slowly but steadily, in stages to reach the standard of living that you choose for yourself.

8. Write down your professional goals. Write as many as your imagination can create. Dream big. Life is full of blessings if you have the courage to seize them. Be one of those who take advantage of all the wonders in this earth. Have 1-year goals, 5-year goals, and 10-year goals. The sky is not the limit, the universe is, and the universe is infinite.

The best case scenario would be to find work you love that supports you financially. There is no better time to take some risks, create your own career, or devote most of your time to your passion than now.