Embrace the passion
Embracing your passion is the first step to achieving your potential. Passion, in and of itself, is like endless fuel as it is the gift that keeps on giving. Below are four steps to help you Embrace your Passion.
#1: Search within yourself
Search within yourself thoroughly and thoughtfully to understand your unique gifts (or talents), your unique attributes and your unique experiences thus far in life. I purposely used the word unique three times in that sentence. With over 7 billion people on the earth, in as much as we all have unique fingerprints, so goes the aforementioned combination of gifts, attributes and experiences that will help you pinpoint your passion, or purpose – – call it what you will.
#2: Do not discount your passion, build it up.
Once you discover (or rediscover) your passion, it is often natural to discount it, questioning the practicality of achieving it. As a speaker, I have asked the following questions at least two dozen times during presentations:
Close your eyes and dial back your memory to when you were 10, 11 or 12 years old. Can you recall what you knew you wanted to be, without a shadow of a doubt when you grew up?
Within the room, I usually begin to see beaming smiles across people’s faces. I then ask:
How many of you are doing that today?
Typically, the smiles disappear at that point! Why? Because somewhere along the path of growing up, we are often told, usually by well-meaning people, that our dreams (passion) and our need to make a living are not aligned. That does not have to be true. Period.
#3: Share your story selectively and create a list of potential passion partners
Treat your passion like a newborn baby, protect it, incubate it and raise it with care. Introduce it purposely to people in order to solicit helpful feedback and support. Go into this with your eyes wide open understanding that not everyone is going to validate your passion. This is yours to own, take all the feedback in, reconcile it and decide what is applicable and how it is applicable.
As you begin to gain momentum, take stock of those who take interest in how you are conducting research and shaping your journey ahead towards your passion. In later steps, these may become partners.
#4: Me, Inc.
To pursue your passion, you will need to treat it like a business. As such, I would encourage to do four things.
- Immersive learning: Dig into the area through content (reading, audible books, podcasts, etc.). Ensure you know the industry, the players (both current and historical), the trends, etc. so you are well rounded.
- Create financial flexibility for a transition: If this is a scenario where you believe you will want to operate in your passion full time, then plan for it. As they often say, it is always easier to reduce expenses than produce more revenue. Determine the sacrifices you are willing to make such as turning off cable and watching YouTube TV.
- Care and Share: Get involved in a community that does that same. Whether online or offline (both if possible), become active in conversations, contributing to help others. Yes! Even as you are still learning, begin to help others as soon as you can. You will see how beneficial it is.
Out of the 6 Promises, this one, embracing your passion, is the most foundational. On a personal note, I have operated within my passion of helping others reach their potential as a part of leadership roles I’ve held during my career, but I have always desired to do it full-time. Effective June of 2018 (the time of this post), I made the transition to doing it full time, following my own advice as well!
Reach out to me anytime if I can help at jamesrosseau@jamesrosseausr.com
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