Are you struggling to stay passionate during these uncertain times? Here are some ways to regain your motivation to pursue what you love.
“Passion. It lies in all of us. Sleeping… waiting… and though unwanted, unbidden, it will stir… open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us… guides us. Passion rules us all. And we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love… the clarity of hatred… the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion, maybe we’d know some kind of peace. But we would be hollow. Empty rooms, shuttered and dank. Without passion, we’d be truly dead.” ― Joss Whedon
You’ve only got one shot at this thing called life. Although that may be difficult to fully wrap your head around, hopefully it can be some kind of a motivation to figure out what makes you tick. It’s never too early or too late to pursue your passion – whatever it may be. Whatever extra stress or work is added to your life in the pursuit of doing what you love, is worth it in the long run.
Don’t say “no” to your passion. Right away, you may not get paid for what you truly love to do, but find an opportunity to do it anyway. That may mean working a job during the day and interning at night. It may mean moving to a new city in order to work in a certain industry. If you stick to your passion, you’ll find the strength to get through the hardships and you’ll be so grateful for your grit when you’re finally doing what you love.
Just because you had an adolescent dream to be an astronaut doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing your passion because you pursue engineering. As we become older, our dreams, goals and passions change. What you’re passionate about doesn’t have to be exciting or glamorous, but it should be fulfilling. It may be the perks of a job that you really care about, more than the job itself. Maybe you have a part of your job you love and another part that you deal with. Having passion for what you do can look very different, depending on each person and their desires.
Seeking out a dream that doesn’t make you tick is a waste of time. We’re allowed in our lives to pursue more than one passion. What we want out of life and our careers changes over time and transforms. It’s important to let yourself change your mind as you grow and build your career and interests. The thing about pursuing what you love is that it’s not so much about the destination, but the journey itself. The pursuit of doing what you are passionate about is more important than the accomplishment.
Putting in the hard work now will pay off in the future. If you can find out how to make a living doing something you’re passionate about, it may be worth a few years of hard work, stress and instability. Ultimately, if you’re pursuing a career that you enjoy, you’ll be more likely to work later, come up with ideas, innovate and be inspired.
Working at a job that’s less than inspiring is something almost everyone has to experience at least once in their life. There will be a time when your work may be menial or uninteresting. Staying passionate and positive during soul-sucking jobs can be a challenge. What’s most important is to approach the job, no matter what it is, as an opportunity to learn and continue working towards your passion beyond the office. Become the best possible employee and learn everything there is to know about the workplace. Just because your current job isn’t inspiring, doesn’t mean it isn’t preparing you for your dream career.
Sources: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/passion, http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/10-reasons-why-following-your-passion-more-important-than-money.html, http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/sc-fulfulling-passions-millennials-family-0419-20160321-story.html
Photo 1. based on Passion., by Jackie.lck, CC-by-2.0
Photo 2. based on The Happy Guy, by Kevin Dooley, CC-by-2.0
Photo 3. based on 2013 World Water Week Young Professional’s_24, by worldwaterweek, CC-by-2.0