The Pursuit of Passion and Purpose

Has anyone ever told you the key to happiness in life is to find your passion and follow it? Should you listen and pursue your passion? What about purpose? Are passion and purpose different? In my experience, I've learned that passion doesn't hold the same meaning as purpose. We can all be passionate about many different things; animals, cooking, fitness, and much more, but it may not give us purpose. Without passion or purpose, our lives can become monotonous.

Where's the Passion?

The incredible feeling of passion in life is essential to our overall quest of fulfillment and can lead us to our purpose. Unfortunately, many people lack the ability to find their own passion. Waking up each morning excited to start the day seems like only a dream to a majority of people and, instead, they wake up feeling unfulfilled with their lives. Commuting to work, sitting at a desk all day completing tedious tasks, commuting home to eat dinner, watching television, and going to bed is what a typical day may look like for the average person. Why would someone live that way or want to live that way? The reasons can vary, but, typically, they need money to pay the bills. How long can someone live without feeling fulfilled or satisfied with their life? Quite a long time.

Finding Your Passion and Purpose

As discouraging as the previous paragraph may sound, the good news is that it can change with some brainstorming. It's important to understand the difference between passion and purpose. Passion is what a person feels about something whereas purpose is the reason for taking action. Passion and purpose go hand in hand and work much more effectively together than apart; they help to mold a sense of meaning in our lives.

Where Are They?

It's easy to tell someone to do something they feel passionate about or to live out their purpose in life; it's almost the same as telling someone to run a marathon without any formal training. Having passion and purpose aren't usually something we wake up with one day; they're experiences or ideas that cause us to feel a sense of importance and fulfillment. Many times, the problem people have with discovering their passion or purpose is the willingness to try new things and potentially fail. Generally, the idea of failure holds people back and it's the one piece of the puzzle that actually will help someone discover what gives them gratification.

Are you unsure how to determine what your passion or purpose may be? The three ideas below will get you started on the right track.

1. Try something new. Explore all of your options. Yes, all of them. If you don't know where to start, compile a list of potential ideas of things you've always wanted to do. Some examples may be cooking, gardening, or teaching. You'll never know what makes you feel truly alive until you give it a try. Some of the best ideas for passion and purpose are stumbled upon when least expected.

2. Volunteer. Have you always wanted to help someone else in need, but didn't know where to start? Research your options online or ask peers for suggestions. Interacting with others is a great way to discover something you may be missing. Don't limit your options to people; animals need love as well.

3. Do something you love. I know that may seem a little confusing, but doing what you love may light a fire within. Some people don't realize the activities they do each day can lead them to their passion and purpose without spending a lot of time in the discovery process.

The best piece of advice I can give is to never stop trying new things and always remain curious. Open your mind and discover what makes you want to wake up each day with enthusiasm and excitement. Stop living your life just to live and not feel alive. We are all responsible for our own decisions and discovering what we love is part of that process. Your passion and purpose are out there waiting to be discovered; take action and get started today.