A prevalent
phrase in contemporary times is a variant of ‘follow your passion’. Everyone
seems to be looking for something that makes them feel alive, and drives their
life into eternal contentment. However, passion and purpose are more complex
than that. How do we find our passion, and what do we do after?
Difference between passion and
purpose:
Being passionate
about something allows us to feel profoundly and enthusiastically about it; it
is the emotions and motivation to do what makes us feel good. Our purpose is
the reason or the ‘why’ we do what we do, primarily for others. While passion
may come and go or fade away, our purpose remains with us, helping us navigate
through life and into doing what makes us happy and contribute to others.
Which one to choose?
Research has pointed out that people who
believe that passion can be developed instead of being found are more likely to
persevere when things get hard, put in consistent work, and stick around to
reap the fruit. While our passion helps us get started, our purpose allows us
to stay focused and put our minds to what we do!
Unveiling passionand purpose:
Understanding that passion is developed rather
than found helps us take action towards both.Reflection is key in understanding
our ‘what’ and ‘why’. Some questions that may help in the growth of our passion
and purpose are:
·
What pursuits would
inspire and give meaning to you?
·
What impact would you
like to make on others?
·
What are your unique
gifts and superpowers?
·
Who have you been when
you’ve been at your best?
·
Who must you fearlessly
become?
As we begin to reshape our life to align
our purpose and passion we can certainly move past our self-limiting beliefs.
Adopting a growth mindset, cultivating our passion and focussing on our purpose
will helpus lead a significant and meaningful life.
References:
Moore, K. (2015). The Great Power of
Connecting Passion with Purpose. Forbes.
Khazan, O. (2018). Find your passion is
awful advice. The Atlantic.
