The 21st Century world is undeniably one of conformity. There are expectations, societal ‘norms’ (what is considered normal by the majority of the population), and acting outside these ‘norms’ will render one as different – a word of which still possesses a negative connotation.
But why?
Having a point of difference – being different – is precisely what makes a person who they are.
Discovering your passion in life is something many people wait far too long to do. You’ve heard the ‘horror stories’ of mid-life crises and making drastic career changes, seen the many mature age students in classrooms at university, and watched on as people around you switch from one degree to another in a desperate attempt to find something they are genuinely interested in.
But the very fact that we view indecisiveness as a negative aspect in a person comes down to conformity.
We are expected to ‘choose’ – a career path, a place to reside, a selection of friends we devote time to in exchange for the same devotion.
We are encouraged to ‘stick it out’ and sacrifice happiness in exchange for some kind of return, be it career progression or financial benefit.
We are discouraged from following our passion, unless it fits in line with these societal ‘norms’.
But what if we instead chose to discover and pursue our passion?
Well, we’d probably have a very efficient and joyful population of world citizens.
When you decided to pursue your passion, the concept of ‘going to work’ or ‘doing work’ is completely redefined.
When you decide to pursue your passion, you let your creativity take over and achieve more than you could have imagined.
When you decide to pursue your passion, you allow yourself to be free of constraints, and truly allow yourself to find happiness.
How to Discover your Passion in Life
Surprisingly, this is the easy part. Once you’ve come to the realization of how important it is to pursue your passion in life, the rest is easy.
Ask yourself:
- What am I good at?
- Am I passionate about it? Do I enjoy doing it?
If yes, set yourself achievable goals and document your ultimate goal. Now continue to reach and re-set your goals until you find yourself reaching your ultimate goal – the one you never thought attainable, that you will come to learn IS if you take small steps to achieving your goals, instead of looking for a fast-track way to success.
If no, remember we can be talented in specific areas and perhaps initially find joy in our success, but as we are only human, our preferences can change. If you are good at something but not actually passionate about it, you are most likely continuing to do it because it brings others around you happiness, but does not make you happy. So what can you do?
Forget the pressure of others, forget the expectations, forget what you know.
Starting today, take a stand and make a CHANGE.
Discover your passion, make a plan, and put it into action.
