How Do I Revive My Passion For Anything? 15 Questions to Ask Yourself
Have you ever looked at someone and wondered how they get so much done? At first glance, how much they pack into a day seems incredible. How can they do it? Why does it seem so hard for you to do half as much?
Before falling into a pit of jealousy and bad feelings, consider this question the next time you feel this way. When was the last time you felt enthusiastic about your day?
Enthusiasm is the secret ingredient in every recipe for success. Don’t believe it? Then, consider when you’ve felt excited about what you were doing, whether at work or home. Anytime we wake up in the morning and can’t wait to get started on the day, we’ll get things done. Think of enthusiasm as the fuel to knock things off your To-Do list.
The problem is we don’t always feel enthusiastic about what we’re trying to do. Either we’re tired or bored with the project, or we don’t see the point. It’s hard to feel motivated when everything looks like the same old struggle, or worse, is too complicated even to contemplate.
15 Questions to Ask Yourself
So, how can you rekindle enthusiasm when it feels like the furthest thing from you? Try any of these simple questions to get started all over again.
What Does Enthusiasm Look Like for Me?
Sometimes, you only need to act as if you already have enthusiasm. If you don’t like what you’re doing, try remembering when you felt enthusiastic. Explore those emotions, paying particular attention to the aspects of your life you enjoyed. Then, ask yourself how to apply some of those thoughts and feelings to your actions. While this might seem fake initially, consider this: faking energy generally leads to enthusiasm thanks to body chemistry and how our brains function. We really can trick ourselves into feeling enthusiastic when we try.
What Would I Rather Be Doing?
You should figure out what you do feel enthusiastic about. Is there something else that is tugging at you right now? Can you do this instead for a little while to help build a more positive (and productive) mindset?
What are the Benefits?
If you need to build enthusiasm for a specific task where you’re just not feeling it, try looking for the good things about getting it done. List all the best parts about finishing this task and see if this helps you feel more enthusiastic.
What are the Outcomes?
Not to be ignored are the negative results of not finding your enthusiasm. While negative aspects of life aren’t always the best motivators for building positive emotions, they can give you the added boost you need to find your enthusiasm. For example, realizing putting off talking to your boss means putting up with a miserable situation at work indefinitely helps you to feel more enthusiastic about speaking up now. If this seems complicated, ask yourself the second series of questions to get you thinking: “What is the eventual result of my doing nothing?” “What will this look like in a year?”
Am I Being Challenged?
Boredom sets in quickly when things are too easy or you’ve done them a thousand times before. Sometimes, all you need is to find a way to make things more challenging to bring back flagging enthusiasm. Ask yourself how you can take your day to the next level.
Is There Something New I Can Add to My Day?
It’s easy to find enthusiasm when exploring a new idea, learning a skill, or researching an unknown topic. With this in mind, what have you been wondering about or hoping to explore? This might be a good time to take a class, pick up a new hobby, or hone a skill set.
Who Can I Call?
All you need is an outside perspective. How about talking to a friend or mentor to bring back your enthusiasm? Ask what they think about your goals and dreams. Have a heart-to-heart about your feelings and ask them to help you see things more clearly. Sometimes, we miss the forest for the trees and can use this outsider perspective to remind us of all the things that have brought us excitement in the past.
What Can I Change?
Is your lack of enthusiasm rooted in something you’re unhappy about? It may be time to break an old habit that no longer serves you well and hone a new one. The key here is to look for small ways to change your life rather than tackling everything all at once. Too much change won’t bring back enthusiasm so much as it can overwhelm. The key here is to do enough to make you feel like you’re making forward progress. You can always add in new levels of change as you go, as your enthusiasm dictates.
What Would This Look Like on Paper?
It’s a proven fact that writing about things can help clarify a problem. If you’re no longer excited about something that used to bring you enthusiasm, try journaling to get to the heart of the problem. As a pro tip, try writing this out by hand. Studies have shown writing by hand will reduce stress and anxiety and relieve some symptoms of depression, all of which might keep enthusiasm down.
Am I Entering the Next Stage of Life?
While our daily routine might have served us for a time, we constantly change and grow. Could you not feel enthusiastic because you’re trying to fit your old life into a new and improved you? It is time to step back and evaluate your dreams and goals and the processes you use during the day to see if something no longer applies. Enthusiasm always returns when you honor who you are right now.
Do I Need a Mentor?
If you lack enthusiasm because you lack direction or are unsure what the next steps are, talking to an expert will go a long way toward helping rebuild excitement. Find someone who has been where you are now and ask them how they got past this point. Mentors are awesome because they have so much more life experience than you do (at least in some areas), and they know more than the answers to your questions. They also guide you toward the questions you should be asking.
What Have I Accomplished?
It’s easy to forget our successes, especially when caught up on To-Do lists and daily life. By revisiting the things you’ve done, you’ll discover you’ve accomplished quite a lot, and by extension, might find new enthusiasm for the things you’re working on right now.
What Was My Beginning?
If you’ve lost enthusiasm because you feel like you’re making no progress at all in your life, it’s time for a history lesson. Where did you start in life? Where are you now? A critical examination of your past will quickly show how far you’ve come, leading to new excitement linked to where you’re going next.
When Last Did I Exercise?
Sometimes we lack enthusiasm because we lack physical energy. The nice thing about exercise is it gives you more energy the more often you do it. Pro tip: try spending at least 10–15 minutes doing an activity that raises your heart rate for optimal results.
Is There Something Small I Can Do?
On occasion, all you can do is slog through and do the next thing on your list. The very idea of getting into motion will help you to build energy and excitement, more than sitting around and doing nothing will. Of course, it can be hard to grind through every day when you lack enthusiasm, so this will take a little willpower and a good degree of stubbornness to get started. The good news? Once you’re in motion, you’re going to find yourself feeling better and better as you progress.
Consider This
Unfortunately, we sometimes lose enthusiasm because we’ve lost our way. When one suffers from anxiety or depression, it can be very hard to feel excited about anything. If nothing else is working, you might want to try discussing this problem with a medical professional or someone you trust, such as a teacher or counselor. Remember, there is no shame in reaching out to others when you need a hand, nor do you have to suffer alone. There is always help.
In the end, the best thing you can do to raise enthusiasm involves taking action. Any action. Sitting still will never build excitement, nor will thinking endlessly about what you’d like to be doing. With this in mind, grab a question from this list and answer it honestly, then take the next logical step you can find from there. Keep repeating until you’re moving in the right direction, and you’ll be filled with energy and enthusiasm, ready to take on every day in a big way!
