Unlocking Your Success: Finding Your Passion

I bet that you can’t tell me that Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote, “The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.” That statement is very true, for there has never, in the history of humanity, been any discovery, innovation, or creation that was not first a spark of passion, curiosity, or devotion. Truly, the manifestation and realization of such discoveries, creations, and innovations is nothing more than the mastery of the creators’ passions.

“Passion” from the Latin Passus literally means, “to suffer.” This all-consuming desire to be, and to do is vitally important to success, for it is the source from which the successful person must draw his or her inspiration. Remember that everyone who succeeds in life typically gets off to a bad start initially. They pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they “arrive” at “success.” They literally SUFFER for not having achieved their passion. The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at the very moment of crisis, when they must choose to follow their passion, or surrender to mediocrity. Would you rather live your life’s purpose and become the person you were meant to be, or remain locked in lifestyle of tolerance and indifference, merely existing from one day to the next?

Without passion, you will never be inspired to act. Without action, you will never manifest your vision, and therefore, you will NEVER be successful! To truly live in a paradigm of conscious choice; a paradigm where you know your beliefs, your purpose, your goals, and you CHOOSE to act on them, then you must know that which stirs YOUR heart. This is crucial if you are truly going to create the reality you desire; a lifestyle built on your preferences and your goals.

Further, you must recognize that designing and creating the life that you choose requires that you first discover the purposes for behaving the way that you do. If you act without purpose, then you are likely to create a lifestyle that is hit or miss; a lifestyle that wanders about, and is based on old habits and reactions to circumstances, rather than creation. Inevitably, this eliminates the potential for success, as the truly successful consistently work toward the achievement of their vision.

Therefore, to genuinely create the lifestyle that you choose, you must face each challenge, each encounter, with purposeful choices. You must reprogram your thinking to “act”, rather than “re-act.” To choose solutions and actions that are directed toward the realistic goals of your vision that are workable in your everyday world. Find your purpose, and you will find your passion! Find your passion, and you will HAVE your vision!

So, what can you do, today, that will point you toward your passion, your purpose? You can begin by defining you vision and creating your own personal mission statement.

1. Allocate some time alone. You need to allow yourself space and time to think, reflect, and evaluate.

2. Select an important question from the list below, or use a powerful question of your own. Be sure that the question you choose has deep, personal meaning for you and causes your heart to stir.

• What motivates me?
• If money were not object, what would I do?
• What energizes me?
• If I had no responsibilities other than myself, what would my future look like?
• What brings me the most joy, pleasure or satisfaction?
• If I had only three months to live, what I do during that time?
• What is it that I REALLY want in life?

3. Once you have chosen your question, isolate yourself. Quite you mind. Take several deep, cleansing breaths and ask the question of yourself. Allow the answers to bubble up through your intuition. Do not force them, or search them out. Wait… Be patient… Ask the question again after a few minutes. Know that the answers will come! The answers are yours; they have always been yours; and they have always been within you!

4. Over time, ask all of these questions; but ask the questions one at a time. Record your answers in a journal or notebook. Give yourself permission to take a break between these sessions. Self-reflection can be hard work, and any progress is good progress! Congratulate yourself for work well done!

5. Once you have responded to the questions, consolidate your responses. Look for patterns or themes. These patterns and themes will become your personal mission statement. Share your responses with a coach or mentor so that you can merge his or her perceptions with your own. This is vitally important, as this will serve to establish your vision and affirm your purpose.

Having a mission statement will center your actions on the goals that YOU choose; on the lifestyle that YOU select. It will lead to your ability to direct your effort toward these goals, rather than wasting effort on things that do not meet your needs and your vision, and that do lead to success. This is your first step toward creating success and toward purposeful living.

Only one question remains. Are you ready to begin?