Passion– What Is It and How Do I Find It?

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In one of my last teaching jobs, I worked with a young man who was just starting out in his career as I was finishing mine.  He came to me for advice from time to time, and I felt I was a mother figure to him, which suited me just fine.  He talked about his family, his two sisters and his parents, and I enjoyed his stories and felt I came to know and understand those who were closest to him.

Of all the details he shared, the one that has remained with me relates to his father, who had enjoyed a healthy career in an important and responsible position.  He had looked forward to retirement, and, although his wife continued to work, he signed up for SS as soon as he was able. 

My friend Joe, concerned, described his father’s day-to-day life.  “He sits in a big recliner, watching TV all day, getting up for food once in a while.  That’s it.  I think he is just waiting to die.”

Mind you, Joe’s dad was only 65 when he told me this!  How could a vibrant, intelligent man who had contributed to society, supported his family, and lived a good life suddenly become a sullen near-recluse?

My answer is that he felt he had nothing to live for.  He was bored, but he didn’t know what to do, so he did nothing.

Joe’s dad needs to find his passion so he has a purpose for getting out of bed every day.

But just how does one find their passion in life?

Finding Your Passion

I read an article about passion some years ago, and I remember the author advising her readers to pinpoint what it is that their friends and family wish they would stop talking about because they are sick of hearing about it!

At the time this sounded like it made sense; however, after researching this topic, I realize there is something profoundly wrong with that suggestion.

If a person is constantly talking about something, then they have already found their passion!  That’s why they are constantly talking about it!  Duh!

Recently, I watched a presentation that provided a scientific and logical explanation for why we struggle to find our passion (or passions; it’s okay to have more than one!). 

It goes something like this:

In the by-gone days, people worked with their hands.  If they wanted a house, they built one.  If they wanted to eat, they planted a garden and they tended a herd.  If they wanted a new dress, they sewed it.  Doing these activities provided satisfaction to the creator.  They felt good about their accomplishments.  This is where their dopamine came from.  (Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.) 

Fast forward to today.  If we want food, we stop by McDonald’s or we have it delivered.  If we are bored we turn on the television or search the web. 

The difference between them and now is that back in the ‘good old days’ our dopamine came from creation. 

Today our dopamine comes from consumption.

If we are going to search for our passion, we need less consumption and more creation.

How do we attain this?

By exposing ourselves to a variety of experiences and exploring different forms of creation, we will locate our passion (s).

Don’t overthink this.  Remember KISS?  (Keep It Simple, Stupid.) 

Here’s what you need to do: 

Google the word “hobbies” or use some other search tool to come up with a list.  It will be long, let me warn you.

Wikipedia, for instance, has several hundred, and they are categorized as “indoor, outdoor, competitive, collections, and observation.”

Another good source is a website called Skillshare.  This site offers classes in several hundred areas.  You pay a small fee each month for unlimited access, should you wish to take a class.  However, you can scroll through their lists for free!

Read through the list, wherever you find it, and write down a dozen things that interest you (or more).

Then, try them, one at a time.  It won’t be long before you have found one, or several, that make your heart race with their possibilities.  Just the thought of your next tap-dancing class, or your visit to the camera store, or holding your kayak paddle will make you shudder with delight.  That will be your new source of dopamine, and you will find renewed passion and purpose in your life.

So get out of that recliner, start experimenting with new experiences, and be prepared to be amazed.  Your new life is just around the corner!

If you’d like to read a bit more on this topic, I suggerst Unwrapping Your Passion by Karen Putz.