Six Questions to Identify Your Passion
Passionate people try hard to achieve their goals, and are happier. In the office they’re more productive, creative and innovative–they’re even paid more, but they’re worth more. It’s so important to identify your passions because if you continue to do what the powerful people in your life want you to do at the expense of pursuing your dreams, you will never achieve your highest potential.
When we don’t spend much time focusing on our passions, they’re often difficult to identity. But we all have passion; it’s just a matter of discovering it. My co-author of Admired: 21 Ways to Double Your Value, Bonita Thompson and myself identified six fundamental factors that can help you determine when passion is present in yourself or any of your MVPs (Most Valued People).
- Flow: If you lose track of time while doing or thinking about something, you’re often in a state of passion.
- Failure: You will persist despite failure when you’re passionate.
- Free: We’re not suggesting that you work for free, but the truth is that you go above and beyond when your’e passionate about the outcome.
- Distraction: Pay attention to what is distracting you; it could be a passion.
- Against the Grain: A passion is something you’re drawn to even when your MVPs are not. It’s something you’d like to do even it’s not popular.
- Irritation: Everyone has a short list of things that really annoy them when done poorly. Tune in; these are things you care about.
You may notice that many of the tests of passion appear negative. That’s because when the things you value are violated, you become upset. Listen carefully; your irritation may lead you to your passion!
In the words of Warren Buffet, “…putting off passion is a little like saving up sex for your old age. Not a good idea!”
