There's no major in university on passion and purpose and career. I don't know how that's not a required double major, but don't even get me started on that. I mean, you spend more time picking out a dorm room TV set than you do you picking your major and your area of study. But the point is, it's on us to figure that out, and we need a framework, we need a way to navigate through this. And so the first step of our compass is finding out what our unique strengths are.
What are the things that we wake up loving to do no matter what, whether we're paid or we're not paid, the things that people thank us for? And the Strengths Finder 2. I highly recommend it for sorting out what it is that you're naturally good at. And next, what's our framework or our hierarchy for making decisions? Do we care about the people, our family, health, or is it achievement, success, all this stuff? We have to figure out what it is to make these decisions, so we know what our soul is made of, so that we don't go selling it to some cause we don't give a shit about.
And then the next step is our experiences. All of us have these experiences. We learn things every day, every minute about what we love, what we hate, what we're good at, what we're terrible at. And if we don't spend time paying attention to that and assimilating that learning and applying it to the rest of our lives, it's all for nothing. Every day, every week, every month of every year I spend some time just reflecting on what went right, what went wrong, and what do I want to repeat, what can I apply more to my life.
And even more so than that, as you see people, especially today, who inspire you, who are doing things where you say "Oh God, what Jeff is doing, I want to be like him. Open up a journal. Write down what it is about them that inspires you. It's not going to be everything about their life, but whatever it is, take note on that, so over time we'll have this repository of things that we can use to apply to our life and have a more passionate existence and make a better impact. Because when we start to put these things together, we can then define what success actually means to us, and without these different parts of the compass, it's impossible.
The Hollywood Principle
We end up in the situation — we have that scripted life that everybody seems to be living going up this ladder to nowhere. Everyone's got a number, where if they make this money, they'll leave it all. And it's the sad state of most of the people that haven't spent time understanding what matters for them, who keep reaching for something that doesn't mean anything to us, but we're doing it because everyone said we're supposed to. But once we have this framework together, we can start to identify the things that make us come alive.
You know, before this, a passion could come and hit you in the face, or maybe in your possible line of work, you might throw it away because you don't have a way of identifying it. But once you do, you can see something that's congruent with my strengths, my values, who I am as a person, so I'm going to grab ahold of this, I'm going to do something with it, and I'm going to pursue it and try to make an impact with it. And Live Your Legend and the movement we've built wouldn't exist if I didn't have this compass to identify, "Wow, this is something I want to pursue and make a difference with.
There's two reasons why people don't do things. One is they tell themselves they can't do them, or people around them tell them they can't do them. Either way, we start to believe it. Either we give up, or we never start in the first place. The things is, everything was impossible until somebody did it. Every invention, every new thing in the world, people thought were crazy at first. Roger Bannister and the four-minute mile, it was a physical impossibility to break the four-minute mile in a foot race until Roger Bannister stood up and did it. And then what happened? Two months later, 16 people broke the four-minute mile.
The things that we have in our head that we think are impossible are often just milestones waiting to be accomplished if we can push those limits a bit.
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And I think this starts with probably your physical body and fitness more than anything, because we can control that. If you don't think you can run a mile, you show yourself you can run a mile or two, or a marathon, or lose five pounds, or whatever it is, you realize that confidence compounds and can be transferred into the rest of your world.
And I've actually gotten into the habit of this a little bit with my friends. We have this little group. We go on physical adventures, and recently, I found myself in a kind of precarious spot. I'm terrified of deep, dark, blue water. I don't know if anyone's ever had that same fear ever since they watched Jaws 1, 2, 3 and 4 like six times when I was a kid. But anything above here, if it's murky, I can already feel it right now.
I swear there's something in there. Even if it's Lake Tahoe, it's fresh water, totally unfounded fear, ridiculous, but it's there. Anyway, three years ago I find myself on this tugboat right down here in the San Francisco Bay. It's a rainy, stormy, windy day, and people are getting sick on the boat, and I'm sitting there wearing a wetsuit, and I'm looking out the window in pure terror thinking I'm about to swim to my death. I'm going to try to swim across the Golden Gate.
And my guess is some people in this room might have done that before. I'm sitting there, and my buddy Jonathan, who had talked me into it, he comes up to me and he could see the state I was in. And he says, "Scott, hey man, what's the worst that could happen? You're wearing a wetsuit. You're not going to sink. And If you can't make it, just hop on one of the 20 kayaks. Plus, if there's a shark attack, why are they going to pick you over the 80 people in the water? He's like, "But really, just have fun with this. Turns out, the pep talk totally worked, and I felt this total feeling of calm, and I think it was because Jonathan was 13 years old.
And of the 80 people swimming that day, 65 of them were between the ages of nine and Think how you would have approached your world differently if at nine years old you found out you could swim a mile and a half in degree water from Alcatraz to San Francisco. What would you have said yes to? What would you have not given up on? What would you have tried? As I'm finishing this swim, I get to Aquatic Park, and I'm getting out of the water and of course half the kids are already finished, so they're cheering me on and they're all excited. And I got total popsicle head, if anyone's ever swam in the Bay, and I'm trying to just thaw my face out, and I'm watching people finish.
And I see this one kid, something didn't look right. And he's just flailing like this. And he's barely able to sip some air before he slams his head back down. And I notice other parents were watching too, and I swear they were thinking the same thing I was: This was not fatigue. All of a sudden, two parents run up and grab him, and they put him on their shoulders, and they're dragging him like this, totally limp.
And then all of a sudden they walk a few more feet and they plop him down in his wheelchair. And he puts his fists up in the most insane show of victory I've ever seen. I can still feel the warmth and the energy on this guy when he made this accomplishment. I had seen him earlier that day in his wheelchair. I just had no idea he was going to swim. I mean, where is he going to be in 20 years? How many people told him he couldn't do that, that he would die if he tried that? You prove people wrong, you prove yourself wrong, that you can make little incremental pushes of what you believe is possible.
You don't have to be the fastest marathoner in the world, just your own impossibilities, to accomplish those, and it starts with little bitty steps.
Screw Finding Your Passion | Mark Manson
And the best way to do this is to surround yourself with passionate people. The fastest things to do things you don't think can be done is to surround yourself with people already doing them. There's this quote by Jim Rohn and it says. They change everything, and it's a proven fact. In , Norman Triplett did this study with a bunch of cyclists, and he would measure their times around the track in a group, and also individually. And he found that every time the cyclists in the group would cycle faster. And it's been repeated in all kinds of walks of life since then, and it proves the same thing over again, that the people around you matter, and environment is everything.
But it's on you to control it, because it can go both ways. With 80 percent of people who don't like the work they do, that means most people around us, not in this room, but everywhere else, are encouraging complacency and keeping us from pursuing the things that matter to us so we have to manage those surroundings. I found myself in this situation — personal example, a couple years ago.
Has anyone ever had a hobby or a passion they poured their heart and soul into, unbelievable amount of time, and they so badly want to call it a business, but no one's paying attention and it doesn't make a dime? OK, I was there for four years trying to build this Live Your Legend movement to help people do work that they genuinely cared about and that inspired them, and I was doing all I could, and there were only three people paying attention, and they're all right there: Thank you guys for the support.
For young adults I would like to see more apprenticeships and ways they can develop healthy, creative, meaningful, and reasonably secure lives that make a positive contribution. Yes you can become a great adaptor, hardy, and work with what you got, but the amount of stress and obstacles can be overwhelming on people, society…the earth. We are literally changing genetics epigenetics all the time. More and more people are dealing with these types of epigenetic consequences today. From helping our children to grow well and be compassionate, to helping neighbors, to smart-activism, new systems for healthy societies, etc.
So what should my friend have done differently? She had no education beyond high school. Maybe she would have been better off to let that happen, but she decided that no government agency would break up her family. So she started working 3 jobs at once, fighting the system to keep her family intake, fighting to keep them housed, fed, healthy and safe. She learned to enjoy getting 3 hours of sleep a night.
In this life, bliss is finally getting Section 8 housing subsidies and food stamps after a 7 year wait. You never addressed the question: Why no education after high school? Why start a family? Does she feel burdened or overwhelmed or is she grateful and happy? As you characterized, bliss can be many different things to people. And being open to abundance is having a positive, grateful, welcoming mindset — a good thing, I believe. So, I empathize with your friend. I also believe your friend has a bliss to follow and the ability to be awesome at it.
But only SHE can define what that is and make it happen. Herein lies the issue, which I believe to be our biggest disconnect. For that reason, it may take longer or not happen at all. Mainly because she was kicked out at 16 and finished her GED while living on the streets. Because her husband at the time repeatedly sabotaged her birth control methods and raped her when she refused sex when she was fertile. He was protected by the blue code of silence, so nothing ever happened to him concerning her.
She finally manages to divorce him, and is awarded sole custody of all 6 children and an appropriate amount of child support. So here she is, alone, with only a GED education, no money, no home. What is she supposed to do with 6 hungry children? So she gets 3 jobs, works up to 19 hours a day, at minimum wage, and fights to keep her family intact, safe, healthy, secure, housed, fed and clothed. She does this for 20 years. What was the passion and bliss that she wanted to follow? She wanted to be an astronaut. Riding the shuttle at that point is a pointless fantasy, without any basis in reality.
She says that I, my wife and family have been the only bright spot in her life for the past 12 years. What is there in life for her left? I have never seen anyone who fought so long and so hard against everything in her life to raise, protect and care for their children. I pray you never have to sacrifice yourself so totally for your children.
Though unfortunate, challenging things do happen to really good people. Again, I empathize with her. Maybe not an astronaut…. I believe real options exist, should she be interested…she may not be and I respect that. Horrifying, soul-crushing, wickedly unjust do better to capture it, but still fall short of fully describing it.
Apparently you and her exist in totally different realities that have no point of contact with each other. What beauty is there in possibilities that can never be realized? What would you do to help another young woman in the situation she found herself in, with no education, no home, no support, no money, and the sole parent of 6 children? How would you help her? Would you tell her to give up her children and treat them as she has been treated? Would you tell her to sell herself to get the money she needed? You asked for my perspective and you obviously disagree with it, but wow, you seem to be implying I should think as negatively of her and her situation as you do.
Do you want me to call her life horrific, a failure and that she has no reason to live? I would ask her what SHE wants or needs and try to help in any way I could. And yes, this would include focusing on the good she has in her life, like life itself and the relationships with her children and others and her interests, skills, talents. That is why I believe in the beauty of possibility.
I believe I see more in her potential than you do. I hope she sees more in herself than you do. I am not a therapist or a counselor, but as a friend, I would try to help her realize she can make a difference. So you can see more in her potential than I can, right? The only thing she has to hang on to, is the fact all 6 kids are grown and on their own. Two are on the opposite coast, and the rest are international, in Thailand, Peru, South Africa, and Germany. I asked her your question on what she wanted and needed. Trying to spin it as anything other than the tragedy and heartache that it is, disrespects and denigrates her hard work, sacrifice, and tenacity.
But I have answered it many times. I would remain positive — for the simple fact LIFE itself is amazing. Of course, the choices made and the experiences of life will differ. I would try to help connect her to services, assistance, therapy, career counseling, life coaching, and a support group of people lift her up and nurture her to OVERCOME — not lose sight of her gifts. You can learn more about me here: Rowling……she was also barely surviving with a little baby to support and yet she followed her passion with all her energy, time and resources.
She died 3 weeks ago. And the comparison to J. The UK has a far more extensive welfare system than Arizona. She chose not to do so. I find it hard to believe you USA people think a 9 to 5 job sucks your soul away… i mean, do you really leave work at 5pm?? Some people me included , regularly put up half-day work days, that is, 12 hours per day!
Those are our working conditions right now and still manage to do side jobs or activities that we really love, in my case, writing and drawing. I couldnt care less if people like it, nor i intend to become rich with it. I do it because i love it, eveything else i do allows me to fund it without having to compromise to anyone. You should take advantage of your economic conditions instead of whining so damn much! You seem to take both sides here.
Take time to learn about what moves you, ignites your inner flame…this can be in an entrepreneurial sense or working in an organization. Once the passion is discovered, of course effort, responsibility, and accountability all come into play. Nobody seems to accept the fact that he was one of a kind; no matter his sensible words, if people think they will be able to replicate what he did… well, good luck!
Starting your own business often takes time no matter how much or little you love it. What choices does she have now? The other side of passion is even more exasperating. I was blessed to find a job that I really loved. It was my dream job and my passion. The company folded and I was able to find another job doing the same thing but the company was clearly not interested.
And so I ended up chasing this passion for the better part of 5 years and it was a waste of time. This is interesting and truth, I know from experience. The real problem was that i was a employee and the sleep — eat — work — sleep routine was killing me. Well, the friend that I was discussing in this thread died yesterday.
If your house is in order or even if not…we live only once-shoot for your star.. All great and not so great things both big and small were a creation of either necessity or passion.. I would venture to say both. Even its writing, skydiving, helping others, whatever it might be that moves you….
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Part time, as a hobby, as a calling, for you…do you and live. There is no passion to be found playing small — in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living. Read more at http: I snowboard because it brings me joy. It removes all fears, anxieties and worries I have of the past and future and puts me directly in the present moment. It brings me peace, clarity and euphoria. I love being in the mountains as well. The fresh air, the gorgeous view, the unexplainable beauty of everything that surrounds me. This here is where my strong social skills actually originate from: I hold a solid frame of my own reality that I find others often fall into.
In a word, joy. Everyone would be just too God damn happy. People would be in the moment, giddy to be alive, Zen.
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I want to make the world a better place by allowing people to fully appreciate what they really have. A piece of advice you often hear when it comes to being successful is to do what you love. So, how do you find your passion? Here are some pointers from the team at Bayt. No-one cares how much you know untill they know how much you care — Theodore Roosevelt.
Not achieving the freedom I deserve is not acceptable. This article is featured in our new eBook at http: With chapters including Minimize Risk, Legal and Money. This is among the worst advice I have read. It has its place in context, but completely ignores the other side of the equations. Yes, people who follow their passions are going to have a tough road ahead of them. They know that already. You start off with a business selling green dots, but figure out that red dots are all the rage. The beauty is that you can make changes, and take the long road like you would in any career. Your clients are suicide cases waiting to happen.
You should quit at career counseling, because you suck at it. In The Attractor Factor, Dr. Joe Vitale cites a study where a group of 1, people were given the option of joining two groups. Group A was a group of people who were going to pick a career they believed was going to be a practical way to make a lot of money and then they were going to follow their passions after they made enough money.
Want to Find Your Life Passion? Start by Simplifying Your Life
Group B was a group of people who were going to pick a career that they were interested in and passionate about and just trust that the money would come. Only people joined Group B. Only 1 out of the 1, people who picked a career because they believed it was a practical way to make a living actually became a millionaire.
I enjoyed this article very much. However, work is work; why do we feel the need to define who we are through how we make a living?? Not everyone is a godamn innovator, and for good reason I might add. Again, thank you for the article, I just felt the need to share my thoughts. IF you are passioned about something but too lazy to go further and be inventive , than, nothing will happened. Back to the Blog Overview. Then… wait for it… Nothing happens.
No customers, no readers, no clients. The Hollywood Principle Many people blindly follow their passion, believing their love for it will be enough to make them successful. Your challenge If you dream of doing work based on your passion, answer these unique value questions in the comments below: Why do you do your passion? What do you bring to the table that no one else does? What would you love to contribute to the world?
October 28, at 3: April 17, at 4: October 28, at Hi, You make good points, and I agree with all of them. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments! October 31, at 5: October 31, at 8: November 2, at 2: November 3, at 9: MdlGrndDynamo Thank you for your thoughtful response. To it, I will say I agree. I think neither group has it right and instead the answer lies somewhere in the middle. November 3, at Yes Jessica — somewhere in between, as with so much in life. November 4, at 2: October 31, at 9: October 31, at November 1, at 1: As if a job is a guarantee?
November 1, at 2: I believe following your bliss can be achieved many ways. November 1, at 3: November 1, at November 1, at 5: Bias — such a powerful force we should be mindful of…. Open mindedness is essential to discovering truth. I do not wish to block that. November 3, at 1: November 4, at November 4, at 6: November 5, at 1: She has given me permission to tell most of her story.
November 5, at I believe in the beauty of possibility…. November 5, at 4: November 5, at 6: November 5, at 9: Well, I guess you will go on being you and her being her and me being me.