Forbes: 3 Simple Ways to Discover Your Passion

Forbes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In July of 2012, Erika Andersen at Forbes wrote about how you have to make sure you don't just assume every interest is a passion, and how you can narrow down exactly what the passions are.

Let’s say, for instance, that someone who’s looking to make a career change really loves children. He not only loves spending time with his own kids, but he really enjoys being the parent when a bunch of kids get together: helping them have a great time while still keeping them reasonably in line. (This is the ‘hobby’ route.)  So he starts wondering if maybe he could run an after school program.  Or let’s take an employee situation: someone who’s the head of marketing for a small furniture company who thinks she might want to be the GM when the current GM retires. (This is ‘obvious thing’ route.)

First she says, gather information about what it is you want to do -- but also consider how those action steps make you feel. Is this research a chore, or does it pique more curiosity?

If it's the latter, then find people already doing what you want to do, and talk to them about doing that thing. Again, note your reactions as these people tell you about their lives.

Finally, if you're still into it, try it out on a limited basis -- volunteer work, or a side hustle. If that's not enough, then clearly, that's your passion.

I like this test a lot, but it sort of implies you have a notion of what your passion might be, going in.  If you don't, well, that's where we need to start, I suppose.

What do you think?

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