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Most of us, at some point in our lives, start to question our purpose or mission here on Earth. Oftentimes we are encouraged to follow a certain path in life that might not be our own. Have you ever wondered if you are following your true calling or “passion”? If you were aware of your passion and followed it, what possibilities would that open for you? More freedom? More love? More money? More fulfillment in life?

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to discover what your true passion or passions are. This might sound like a no-brainer or an easy task, but it might be harder than you think. Give yourself a few minutes to ponder these concepts.

Am I doing what brings me joy?

Am I offering my best to myself and others?

Do I feel satisfied or fulfilled with how my life is going?

Passion can appear in many ways, but whatever form it takes, it’s crucial that it comes from a very personal place within yourself. Nobody else can tell you what your passion is.

There are many things that might impact your journey to find your passion such as the influence of your family, your financial situation, the environment you live in and other life circumstances that are often beyond your control.

The goal is to find something that completely intrigues, challenges and motivates you. This goal or purpose can be related to your family, occupation or anything else that significantly matters to you. You might even have more than one passion or purpose. Just remember everything must be in balance. Some people can become obsessed with finding their passion and perusing it, while important things in their lives are pushed aside.

Here are the 10 best ways to help you discover your passion-

1. Self-Awareness

As you may know, I’m a huge fan of Gary Vaynerchuk. He speaks often about the importance of self-awareness. Gary has mentioned numerous times that being aware of one’s self can provide a better understanding of what one is capable of. He suggests genuinely asking some of your closest friends and relatives what your major strengths and weaknesses are. Now, you MUST mentally prepare yourself for the answers and make sure those you do ask feel safe in telling you the truth. DO NOT make them feel bad for being honest. Once you identify your biggest strengths and weaknesses, we can dig deeper.

2. Figure out what matters to you most

Start by making a list of the goals/things that truly matter to you, such as your family, your health, or your business. Next, follow Warren Buffett’s 5/25 Strategy as outlined below.

• Write down your top 25 goals – This should consist of the top 25 things you want to achieve in your lifetime.
• Draw a circle around your top 5 goals – While each goal might be very important to you, circle the 5 most essential goals that you think will bring you joy.
• Focus on your top 5 goals and say no to the rest – Difficult as this may seem, in order to really find your passion, you need to narrow down your options. If you really want to get real with yourself quickly, cross out every other goal with a red marker. You can consider the remaining goals after you have accomplished the most important goals first.

Here is a practical example of using the 5/25 strategy, write your top 25 romantic relationship goals i.e., spend more time with my spouse, have more real-life conversations with my spouse, create common relationship goals together, go out on dates at least once a month, learn each other’s Love Language, etc. Then, circle your top 5 relationship goals and focus on these only.

3. Ask yourself more questions and give honest answers

• What do you find yourself talking about often?
• What did you want to be when you grew up?
• What do you enjoy doing so much that you lose track of time?
• Who do you admire or would consider having as a mentor?
• What would you do differently if you had the chance to start over?
• If you could succeed at anything and had no fear in doing so, regardless of the pros or cons, what would you do?
• If you had only 5 minutes to speak to everyone on Earth and they were fully paying attention, what would you have to say?
• If money was of no concern, what would you do in your free time?

4. Work on being more authentic with yourself

In a previous post, I spoke about being authentic. It’s best to start with being authentic with yourself, then you can begin to be more authentic with those around you. This Medium article sums it up quite nicely.

5. Take a life inventory

You are not merely here to survive. You are here to thrive. Evaluate and take inventory your life. What has worked to bring you joy and what has done the opposite? Where have you excelled? What are your greatest accomplishments? What makes life worth living? What are you most grateful for? Are there any things you need to change or give up? Who is influencing you and your decisions or beliefs?

6. Start really connecting with yourself

By fully paying attention to your feelings, thoughts, and emotions you will be able to identify when you feel that spark of joy more often than you have before. Truly to listen to and trust your instincts. Take time daily to tune into your body, mind and spirit. Mindfulness techniques, meditation and getting in touch with your own spirituality will help you accomplish this.

7. Find your tribe

Surrounding yourself with those who lift you up, support you and are positive will work wonders for your own well-being. Try to reduce the amount of time you spend with energy vampires. Toxic people thrive on drama and will only de-rail your efforts. Also, put your family’s, parents and society’s thinking aside. These influencers don’t always have your best intentions at heart.

8. Seek information

Take a look at everything you are now considering and open your mind to all the possibilities that are now within your reach. Start reading books and blogs about the things that interest you. Watch videos, listen to podcasts, talk to people who are following their passion and model what they have done! Feed your brain with information and stay motivated as much as possible. Observe what is beginning to interest you the most.

9. Ikigai: The Japanese Concept Of Finding Purpose In Life

The Ikigai model (see graphic) is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being.” Ikigai (pronounced “eye-ka-guy”) is, above all else, a way of life that aims to achieve balance the spiritual and with the practical. This concept will help you more easily recognize your passion along, with your mission, vocation, and profession. You passion does not have to tie in monetarily, but wouldn’t it be awesome if it did! I might just write an entire post decided to this practice very soon.

ikigai is seen as the merging of four primary elements:

• What you love (your passion)
• What the world needs (your mission)
• What you are good at (your vocation)
• What you can get paid for (your profession)

10. Find the common denominator

Looking at all the things you have just done, what is the common denominator? Take note of the similarities and patterns. When you feel that spark, you might have found your passion and purpose. Congratulations!

Not all people find their passion right away, and that’s ok. Some take years or even their entire life before realizing their purpose. If you feel lost, you may have detached from your true life purpose. Try to enjoy the journey while you’re searching.

Finding your passion can help you find peace within yourself. Always remember that you are allowed to do things that make you happy, to be in loving relationships, to use your voice, to make choices, to change your mind, to make mistakes and to have an opinion. When your passion and purpose are greater than your fears and excuses, you will find a way to make it work. The only person that truly limits you, is yourself.

Have you found your passion and/or purpose? What steps did you take to get there?

Please leave a comment below and share with others so they too can find their passion.