It probably comes as no surprise to you that I spend a lot of time reading books about finding your passion. But what might surprise you is that I think that finding your passion is one of the most over-sold and over-hyped promises out there. There are a lot of people hoping and praying and talking about finding their passion — and they ain’t never, ever going to find it.
You see, PASSION is one heck of a big word. When I hear the word passion, I think of romance novels starring the beautiful young heroine who falls hopelessly in love with her handsome prince. Sparks fly and emotions soar; resulting in sweaty midnight trysts and promises of undying love. Passion implies an all-consuming “I can’t sleep or think about anything else” combustive energy. It’s your one true “This-is-IT!” love.
And therein lies the problem.
The word passion is so strong, so powerful and so certain; that it sets up an incredibly intimidating standard by which to evaluate your options. You might really like something. Or find it interesting. But, because you aren’t totally infatuated, you dismiss it as not being good enough to work with — and over time that search for your one true love becomes an exercise in futility. It’s an impossible, albeit alluring, goal.
Well, I’ve got news for you. Most of us aren’t born with one clear passion. Sure, there are the Michael Jordans of the world who are blessed from birth with a laser-focused passion for one specific career. But the majority of us mere mortals have a diverse lot of interests and talents that could be used in a multitude of ways.
True passion takes time to develop. Unlike, infatuation that bursts into flame and then dies out, real passion start out as a flicker and turns into a flame that steadily burns over the years.
I am passionate about my husband and my children. But I didn’t know I would be the first day that I met them. Truth be told, I remember feeling incredibly guilty that I didn’t fall in love with my first baby the moment I saw her. I thought she was cute and all, but even after finally getting to hold her after nine long months, I was perfectly happy to hand her back to the nurse so I could get some sleep (sorry about that Danielle). It was only over time that I fell hopelessly in love. Thankfully, I remembered that when baby number two came around, and once again, all I really wanted was to get some shut-eye.
So if you’ve been feeling like you are destined for mediocrity because you can’t find your one true passion, relax. Forget about passion. Focus on interests and causes you find compelling and things you do really well. Think about things that make you smile. Reflect on the type of jobs you’d be proud to do and the people you would love to work with.
Good enough can turn into great, intriguing can turn into enchanting and possibilities can become passions over time.
You have gifts that can be expressed in lots of exciting ways. Finding your path in life is a journey — don’t let the mythical quest for the “one and only” passion derail you before you get started.