The Secret To Finding Your Passion

Apr. 24, 2020

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The key to life is finding our passion.

“Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” we’re told.

That sounds awesome.

But how do we do it?

The first answer is that we shouldn’t do it at all.

It’s the system that matters, not the passion. Do something diligently each day and mastery will follow. Mastery then turns into passion.

That works every time. Working hard on something with laser-focus will never turn out badly.

On the other hand, opening a vinyl music store because you love vinyls may end up a heartwarming story. But probably it will end in disaster.

Systems lead to success. Passion is high risk for the same reward.

How then do we find our system?

The problem with self-help advice is that it goes around in inspiring circles but never actually answers the question.

What am I supposed to do?

How about this?

A goal is good goal if it leads to immediate action. If you get started on your goal this very second, it’s your passion.

Goal 1: I want to lose weight.

Immediate action: Throw away all junk food, go shopping, start doing the 7-minute workout today.

Good goal?: Yes.

Goal 2: I want to travel to Italy.

Immediate action: I have a project due and need to do some laundry and I’ll think about it later.

Good goal: No.

Along those lines…

Passion 1: I want to start my own online cupcake business.

Immediate action: Pull up a spreadsheet, look at what I currently have saved, see how much cushion I have if nothing works out right away, look up website managers to build the site, set a 6-month deadline for the new business to make more than my current job…

Passion? Yes.

Passion 2: I want to start my own online cupcake business.

Immediate action: Think hypothetically for a few minutes and then turn on YouTube. Go back to work tomorrow. Dream about it again a week later.

Passion? No.

If your “passion” is a fun daydream, that’s fine. Daydreaming is healthy. But leave it at that: a daydream.

If your “passion” is something that makes you drop everything and get started, then something major just changed.

How can we find our passion?

Just find something that makes you begin.

Immediately.

My book is called The Inevitability of Becoming Rich, and you can find that here.