“Nothing great in this world has been accomplished without passion”. This quote by George Hegel is so true! All successful people in this world are truly passionate about what they do. I think of leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy.
What is passion? Passion is our desires or purposes that bring us joy. Webster’s dictionary defines passion as “strong emotion or enthusiasm; fervor, ardor, desire”. Passionate people have greater exuberance, zest and zeal for life. Passion gives us that internal fire to succeed. It acts as a motivating force to help us do truly great things.
Martin Luther King Jr. was passionate about fighting for equality for all mankind. In his famous speech that he gave in 1964 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, King declared “I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will join hands with little white boys and girls and will walk together as brothers and sisters.” He was so passionate about his cause that it ultimately cost him his life.
I think of ordinary people like you and me who are passionate about their work. Mrs. Renfro, who was my daughter’s first grade teacher, was so enthusiastic about teaching children. She’d always greet the children with a smile or hug, and give lots of positive reinforcement. You could tell from her exuberance that she loves children and loves her job.
So how do you find your passion? How do you discover what you’re called to do? Take some quiet time by yourself where you won’t be interrupted. Take time to get in touch with your deep inner self. Your passion comes from the heart. Here are questions to ask yourself:
- What excites and energizes you?
- What brings you joy?
- What activities in your professional life are most enjoyable?
- What activities in your personal life are most enjoyable?
- When does time seem to fly by? What are you typically doing?
- What past experiences have been most meaningful or significant? Why?
- If you had unlimited time and resources and knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do?
- If you had one hour on prime time TV, what subject would you talk about?
- What is the one problem or issue you were born to address?
- If you had one year left to live, what would you do?
After writing your answers to these questions, review them and look for common themes. What stands out? This is an important clue to discovering your passion. What insights have you gained? Take time to ponder these things in the coming days and weeks. It may take some time to discover your true passion.
Once you discover your passion, consider how you can incorporate it into your life. Some people pursue their passion through their work, others through a hobby and still others through volunteer work. The possibilities are endless. By finding and pursuing your passion you’ll feel more energized and excited about life!
Are you living a life you love? Having a personal vision is critical to having the life you want! Your personal vision is your reason for being; it’s why you’re here on this earth. Your vision expresses your personal sense of purpose and meaning in life. It includes the qualities you’d like to have and what you’d like to contribute to the world. It should inspire and motivate you to be the best that you can be.
Having a personal vision is critical to having the life and career that you want. If you don’t create your vision, it will be determined for you by your circumstances and by other people. Having a defined vision helps you live your life on purpose rather than by chance.
How do you create your personal vision statement? Set aside some quiet time for yourself. Find a place where you won’t be interrupted or distracted. Allow yourself at least an hour or so. Get comfortable and relaxed. Prepare to be open and explore your values and vision. Your mission comes from deep inside you, so listen to your heart’s desire. Answer the following questions thoughtfully.
- What would I most like to have in my life?
- What are my greatest moments of happiness and fulfillment?
- What qualities and characteristics are most important to me?
- What activities in my personal life are most fulfilling?
- What activities in my professional life are most fulfilling?
- What do I want to accomplish in my lifetime?
- If I had unlimited time and resources, what would I do?
- What talents and skills do I have?
- How can I best contribute to others?
- What legacy do I want to leave?
Once you’ve answered these questions, look for common themes. Having done this preliminary work, then answer the question, “What is my personal vision?” Write whatever comes to mind. This becomes your first draft of your personal vision statement. Review and refine it until you feel comfortable with it. The format is up to you. It can be one page (or two or three), one paragraph, or one sentence. As long as it is meaningful to you, that’s all that matters.
Once it’s written, refer to it often. You might even memorize it, so that it becomes ingrained in you. Your personal vision becomes your personal constitution. Use it to guide your day-to-day decisions and actions. By doing so, you’ll find that you’ll move closer and closer to achieving your vision. Then when you reach the end of your life, you can look back with peace and satisfaction knowing you have achieved your mission in life!