Embracing your passion and finding your track in life takes time. (sklyareek / Shutterstock.com)
Passion is what keeps you going after a long day. It allows you to create and impact the community (or world) around you. It’s the spark that opens you up to opportunities. At times, it propels you into new directions in life you couldn’t have imagined before. Embracing your passions and becoming a dedicated activist, creating a product, or starting a business, takes time. So how can you use that inner spark to change the world and make an impact? Keep reading.
1. CULTIVATE YOUR INTERESTS
First, you need to discover what you’re dying to share with others. In his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You Cal Newport explains the importance of cultivating your interests. Cultivation means becoming the greatest activist/author/interior designer/yoga instructor you can be by constantly improving on your abilities. Passions aren’t an idea that automatically turn into a full blown lifestyle. After you’re struck by a notion, you must embrace opportunities, slowly develop the interest, and sharpen your skills. Making a difference begins with doing the homework and putting in the effort.
2. CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE
You (probably) can’t just look around a room, point to someone, and ask them to become a dedicated team member on your mission to change the world. What you can do is show up and connect with people who share the same excitement for creating a positive impact. Meetups, seminars, conferences, etc., provide the means to meet people who share similar visions and can help guide you in the right direction, offer support, or even collaborate with you and your idea. There’s strength in numbers. Is it cliche? Yes. Is it valid? Also, yes.
3. STRIVE FOR BALANCE
It’s a lot harder to work towards cultivating your passion and impacting the world for the better if you’re burnt out. Although it’s crucial to devote substantial energy into your interest, it’s also important that you allow time to recharge and take care of yourself. A little time off (even if it’s a few hours every week) will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed. It also helps keep the passion alive and well. Only with balance can you really focus on making a difference.
4. OWN YOUR PASSION
You know that spark and contagious energy you put into everything you do? Hold onto that. Own it. Use all that excitement and drive and put yourself out there. While many around you may have hesitations and won’t see your vision, know that once you’ve dedicated yourself to your passion or your goals, they’ll eventually see the light. To change the world, society, or even your community, honor the driven person you really are, share what you know, and go for it.
5. HAVE A PLAN
This doesn’t have to include a meticulous spreadsheet of everything you’re spending (although it could). Creating a plan means having an idea of how you’d approach setbacks, whether they’re financial strains, or more mental health related. While your passion can change the world, you gotta set yourself up for success by preparing as best you can for how you’ll continue to support and take care of yourself.
