Ignite Your Fire: Where to Look to Find Your Passion

A good friend of mine is searching for her passion. She’s already accomplished a good deal in her life and has many interests. How could it be that she hasn’t found, or somehow lost, her passion? Many of us find ourselves in the same boat, searching for something more, something deeper, something with meaning to pour ourselves into. Some people don’t like their jobs. Others are in a season of transition in life.

When it comes to searching for our passions, where do we look? What are we looking for? Sometimes we feel like we’re playing the kids’ game Hot and Cold. How do we escape the game and know when we’re moving in the right directions?  Allow me to share some of what I’ve learned about this journey with you.

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I’ve been on this search before, trying to discover my passion. If you’re on it now, or have been, you know it can seem quite daunting. For me, it helped to understand that I already had many of the answers – I just needed to ask the right questions. Through my journey, I’ve come across a few suggestions that I hope you’ll find useful too.

If you’re in search of your passion, you can uncover it by looking in these 4 places.

#1 – Under Your Nose

Author Jeff Goins suggests that our families and friends can be a great help in uncovering our passions. They “often notice our gifts before we do.” Our friends and families “acknowledge the talents and resources we’ve been doubting and dismissing.” Jeff says that we need to embrace what’s already inside of us and stop doubting ourselves.

I agree. Often, the people in my life have recognized my potential and talents before I did. Ask around and you may learn some surprising things about yourself from the people who know you best. Listen to your friends and stop second-guessing yourself.

#2 – Down Memory Lane

Several years ago I read the book Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Job  by Jon Acuff. In it he says, “More often than not, finding out what you love doing most is about recovering an old love or an inescapable truth that has been silenced for years, even decades. When you come to your dream job, your thing, it is rarely a first encounter. It’s usually a reunion.”

I just love this picture that Jon paints of us rekindling the things we loved growing up. As I look back, I can see evidence of this in my own story. I’ve always loved to encourage people and make their lives better in some way. Certainly, that could take many forms and so we must look under other rocks.

#3 – Inside Your Heart

One exercise I love using with people I coach is having them survey their values. What fires you up, fuels you, gets you out of bed in the morning? What do you care deeply about? What would you fight or argue with someone over because you believe so strongly about it? What are the characteristics that define you?

These are some of the characteristics I noted about myself when I did this exercise.  Perhaps they can help you get started.

    • Learning new things
    • Being creative
    • Faith
    • Family
    • Moments of awe
    • Zest and enthusiasm
    • Optimism
    • Helping people get better at what they care about
    • Sharing what I’ve learned or experiences I’ve had
    • Organizing
    • Love

#4 – The World Around You

In a terrific blog post, author Mary DeMuth, encourages us to consider what we believe to be the “world’s greatest need.”

This could seem overwhelming, but if we keep it simple, I believe there is much to discover here. Your response will likely point to the people, groups, or causes that you can really sink your teeth into. Often, the needs we identify drive us to become part of the solution.

When you are a part of something in which you truly believe, you will uncover your passion. Look around you; what great needs are you already aware of?

Start Your Fire

Finding your passion is an endeavor well worth the effort.  However, finding your passion doesn’t just happen while you’re sitting in a coffee shop in deep contemplation. Go. Do. Experience. If you get fired up about helping children, go get involved in a youth organization. If you get energized by creating things, take a few art or home improvement workshops. Test drive your passion. If you set aside some time to look in these 4 places, I can guarantee that you’ll move closer to your passion. You just may discover the life you’ve been longing to engage in.

Question: As you’ve searched for your passion, where else have you found it helpful to look? Please share your experience by leaving a comment below. I’m sure other readers will benefit from your experience.

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Categories: Personal Excellence, Pursuing Your Potential
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