A Practical Guide To Finding Your Passion

We frequently hear the prophesy - follow what matters to you most or do what you love. However, I always wondered (like most of us) that how important it is for me to follow what I love. I grew up with a thought that stabilizing my family is the sole purpose of my life. What that meant to me was getting into top engineering school to get a well paying job. What could be better than not having them worry about their child's future? So I relentlessly and quite successfully did that and frequently experienced the pleasure of providing them the best. But, within seven years of professional career, I begin to question myself - now what? I had accomplished what I wanted and my accentuated career progression curve started to flatten. The energy inside was anxiously telling me to make the next stride. Spot check at job satisfaction clearly exposed a feeling of emptiness even though I was doing the best throughout the day. I begin to wonder "what is it that I want" and in quest for finding that "what", i came across a book - success build to last.

A very few are fortunate to know what they are passionate about and little out of those follow what they love. This small elite group of people comprise of leaders who enjoy eternal sense of satisfaction and often they  shape this world. However phony this statement sounds, this is the ground reality. I am not saying that I am following what I am passionate about, but, with the help of this book, I have started to pave the way for that. Some of the things I liked about this book and that have already helped me shape my thoughts are:

• A Practical Way of Finding What You Love: Often, we are already following what we love, but, in a mild and suppressed form. We just have to clear the haze and shine that piece of our life. For example one can say I am passionate about basketball. I practice and watch the game every day, read news, follow it more than anything else. Well, you could very well be a basketball fan, but, think again. What is it that can energize you to get up and do something even after a tiring practice session of basketball. Is it a discussion about new venture? Is it acting in a play? Or is it playing with children? Your passion can very well be one of these. What can you do for a stranger for free? Is it researching a business idea, designing a house or clubbing with him to paint a wall? When you look for your passion ask these questions to yourself , look for signs and you will get it. One last thing, you passion could very well be left behind with your childhood. But, there is always be a thought of that thing still living in some remote room of your heart which is locked by everyday life. Dig deeper and do not deny yourself. Consider and eliminate everything before you get down to just ONE thing.
• Urgency to Follow What You Love: The author said one statement that stick in my mind. If you don't love your job then someone who is passionate about that job will snatch it from you. Brutal example of that is the current spree of layoffs. If you do not follow what you really love, you are bound to fail and the reason is simple. A person who loves his job will put earnest efforts to chisel his skills to perform the best on this job. On the other hand, you would merely be making it through the day. Result...catastrophic!
• Finding a Propeller: Recall the pleasure you experienced when you last time did what you love. Use a collection of such memories as the primary driver to make this transition. It could be a drastic change, but, chances of your failing in making this change are extremely rare. Remember, when you follow your passion, work becomes leisure and you do not even realize how quickly you become successful. Money, recognition, popularity -they all come with time. They do come in abundance, but, you have to be patient and persistent - irrespective what people around you think of you.

Here is the link to this book: http://www.amazon.com/Success-Built-Last-Creating-Matters/dp/013228751X