The Ultimate Guide to Finding your Passion (easy practical steps)
This 3-part guide will help you understand what passion is, how it works, how to find it, and how to go far with it and make a living from it. So, stay with me till the end.
What is passion
Passion is an energy, a feeling you feel when you are excited to do something to the point you can’t ignore.
You can’t stop thinking about it whether you are eating, working, or even when you’re asleep you dream about it. You lose the sense of time, 10 hours pass like it’s 10 minutes. Something exists in the gray area between work and play.
But before we talk about how to find your passion, first, we need to know what stimulates this feeling. What makes you passionate about something rather than something else?
It’s one of the most important hormones released in your brain.
Part 1: How does passion work?
Dopamine
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in your brain that has a big part of our unique human ability to feel pleasure, plan, focus, and find things interesting.
The level of dopamine transmission increases to give you the motivation to do something to get the REWARD at the end which leads to releasing Serotonin (the happiness hormone). This is why you enjoy watching a movie although it lasts longer than 2 hours, or spending half an hour cooking a meal you eat in 10 minutes. The REWARD at the end is the answer, my friend.
But what is the relation between dopamine and passion?
It’s the way you get dopamine. There are two sources you can get dopamine from:
1. Consuming
Consumption is the most common way people get dopamine from.
It happens when you consume something like watching a movie, playing video games, eating, shopping, or scrolling on social media.
This way is temporary and more addictive.
2. Creating
It happens when you create or achieve something, like cooking, painting, or learning. This way is less addictive.
The point here is: when you over-get dopamine from consumption, it’s called ADDICTION. When you over-get dopamine from creation, it’s called PASSION.
When dopamine stops, your brain starts to search for it from other or stronger sources.
This means the more you get dopamine from consuming it will become your normal till your brain stops releasing dopamine, so you consume more to get more dopamine. And this is ADDICTION.
The same for creating. The more you get dopamine from creating, the more your brain gets used to it till it stops releasing dopamine. So you create more, to get more dopamine. And this is PASSION.
Now we know where passion comes from, but how do you know if what you do is your passion?
Part 2: Find your passion
How to know if what you do is your passion
When you are doing your passion, you feel motivated. Time flies. Your brain is releasing dopamine. It’s like magic. Here are 3 questions to ask yourself:
1. Do you love the craft or the idea of the craft?
Ask yourself, do you love the craft itself or the idea of the craft?
Let’s take writing for example. Do you love sitting at your desk writing for many hours spending your day looking for a suitable word to put in your sentence (the craft), or do you love to be seen as the highly educated philosophical person who just reads thinks and writes (the idea of the craft)?
Because if you just love the idea not the craft you won’t be able to either be consistent or bare the difficulties of it.
2. The skip-forward test
Imagine you have a button beside you. This button gives you the option to skip forward any action and still get the results. Now apply this test to the thing you think is your passion. Would you still push the button?
If the answer is No, then you are passionate about this thing.
3. Identify your why
Identifying your why gives you the answer to what you love and what are you willing to spend many hours on just for the sake of doing it.
But what if you don’t have a passion in the first place?
How to find your passion
Finding your passion is a journey, you may find it early or late. Here are 5 steps to help you find your passion faster:
1. Reduce consumption sources
Try to sit down alone for 3 hours without any distraction sources like your phone, or your video games. This will help you lean on creation sources to get dopamine which leads you to find your passion
2. Learn and try many new things
Expand your horizons identify your interests and try new activities. Take a class or read a book on topics you’re interested in. Explore your options and find out what you enjoy doing.
3. Get inspired
Look for people and stories that inspire and motivate you. Attend events. Talk to people related to your passions. Learn from others.
4. Take your time
Don’t rush the process. Allow yourself the time and space to discover your passions. Think of what you would do if you had all the time in the world.
5. Believe in yourself
Believe that you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Have faith in yourself and your abilities. Use your passion and enthusiasm to drive your success.
The journey of finding your passion is as fun as doing your passion if not more enjoyable. You get to know different people, learn new different things, feel different feelings, and experience different experiences. So, believe in yourself, embrace the process, and enjoy the journey.
Now you have found your passion. What to do next?
Part 3: Go far with your passion and make a living from it.
Discipline
Passion without discipline is like talent without hard work.
It’s hard to go far with your passion if you don’t have discipline. Having discipline will help you to stay consistent, focused, and organized. It’s the key factor in creating success with your passion.
I hope you find this article useful and helpful. I have put so much effort and research to write it. I’ll appreciate any support.
