Finding Your Passion

People talk about finding your passion in life, but what if you don’t have one? What if when people ask you what you’re passionate about, you have no idea?

What then? Do you just not have one? Is there something wrong with you?

No! It just means you've got to look inwardly and find it.

Here’s what passion is: a strong and barely controllable emotion.

Passion in life is doing something you care about.

Passion, a strong emotion of anger or sadness, or motivation.

I don’t know who said this quote but it’s been with me for as long as I can remember - "What makes you angry is what you were meant to change."

What breaks your heart? What makes your blood boil when you hear about it or see it? What gets you inspired and excited when you talk about it?

For me, what makes me angry is teen suicide, and people not believing they have a purpose in life. It makes me angry that kids and teenagers can feel so hopeless or alone that they think ending it is the only answer. It breaks my heart that they feel there’s no other way.

People believing they can’t do anything with their lives makes me angry. People wasting away because they were never told that they had value to bring to the world. It hurts me that no one told them as children that they could be great, and now as adults they're living below what they were created for.

What makes you angry? What breaks your heart?

Child hunger, abuse, sex trafficking, homelessness, pet cruelty, third world countries' lack of medicine or resources, the media and the messages they portray, politics and government - what is it for you?

That’s where I would start. Make a list of the things that you wish you could change. Even if they're big-ticket items that seem impossible to do on your own - write them down anyway! It's not about changing the world, it's about helping the people in the world - even if it's 1 or 2 people around you. You don't have to go to another country to make a difference, your neighborhood needs you.

Once you have your list, start thinking of practical ways you can start making a difference. Join an organization, donate money, look for a job in that field, bring people's attention to the issues, etc.

Passions can change and that’s okay because people change and the world changes.

But everyone has something. You just have to look for it.

Maybe you’re saying that there’s absolutely nothing in our world that bothers you - I would say you’re living too selfish of a life to notice.

And that’s a whole other deal and blog post.

We all have something to offer our world to make it better.

Maybe it’s writing a book, or starting a different career.

Maybe it’s being a good parent and raising good kids that will make an impact.

Maybe it’s being a teacher or a life coach.

There’s no small part to play in changing the world.mYou just have to find yours, and you’re the only one who can.

Now, it’s not easy. And it hurts and it’s hard because that’s life. And that’s people. But every impact is an impact. I always said that if I ever only helped one person it would be worth it because that person mattered.

So, how do you find your passion?

Think about what makes you angry, what breaks your heart, and what inspires you.

Then, think through what you can do to make a difference in those areas.