Once upon a time there was a man, Jack, who worked very hard at his job. He had gone to school in an area of ​​interest and got a job in a similar industry. He found a good wife and they had 3 wonderful children. Life was good in his adulthood, but he found himself feeling like he was on the treadmill of life. He got up every morning, went to a job that he liked but in which he longed for a break, a kind of long-awaited vacation. He had lost most of his hobbies due to the time constraints of working long hours at his job, balanced with trying to care for and spend time with his family. The dreams Jack had talked about in his youth (travelling, starting his own business, becoming an armor golfer, winning fantasy football, etc.) were still in the back of his mind, but only vaguely. Jack had a successful life by American standards (income, job, home, family, etc.), but he didn’t jump out of bed in the morning: he didn’t have a nimble step and seemed to carry a high standard. of stress In general, he was happy, but not HAPPY.

This is the story of a man with a great life, but a man who lacks PASSION.

What is passion?

Webster defines passion as “a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept.”

I define passion as an internal subconscious emotional calling that fuels the perspective, focus, and actions you take as you live life and fulfill your purpose in life.

Passion isn’t obvious, like the ability to throw a soccer ball, be a gifted musician or craftsman, or live like an amazing inventor. Passion is not on a conscious level, something you think about on a daily basis and notice. Passion is more “energetic” in nature and therefore difficult to see.

People say they are passionate about their children, families, hobbies, etc. While all of these are admirable, I would say that these are interests that bring joy and pleasure. They can also be the tip of your passion or an indicator of your passion. While passion is a common word to describe an emotional state of liking something very much, the passion we are talking about here is a much broader concept. Here, it’s all about the core attributes that drive you and excite you about life and living.

It’s also important to recognize that people often confuse passion with purpose. The way I see it, purpose is the vehicle you drive because of your passion: your purpose is what you do (for example, playing sports, writing music, reading literature, or being a parent). Passion is the fuel and energy you use to drive: Passion is how you fuel yourself (for example, by being creative, solving problems, or helping people).

Passion is the inner fire that burns within you as a result of using your natural gifts, talents, and purpose here on earth. You have passion before you use it, but it’s like a blown match. Passion ignites when you use your gifts, talents, and purpose and results in personal fulfillment and “life in the flow,” where everything works together and every area of ​​your life is filled with joy, satisfaction, and synergy.

Why have passion? Is it possible that everyone has a passion or are some people just more “emotional”?

Passion is seen when you look at the world and selflessly allow yourself to be an instrument, using your gifts and talents. By doing this, you will begin to see your reflection and therefore more easily identify your passion. After identifying your passion, by experiencing the fire lit within you, you can focus and use those gifts and talents more – your purpose and passion come together and fuel the most fulfilling adventure of your life!

The reward of living a life of passion is incredible! Once you’ve tried it, you’ll want its return. It is an amazing overflow of your heart, body, mind and soul. You have energy, direction, purpose and focus. As human beings, we all want this, but sometimes it seems too difficult to achieve, so we give up and decide to just enjoy what life gives us.

“What gives us life?” I ask. Don’t be fooled, we are not here on earth to be floating down a river in an inner tube, just passively absorbing what life has to offer. You won’t find passion in that inner tube. You might hit some rapids and taste a bit here and there, however, if you want to know what it means and what it’s like to live a life of passion, you have to go find it.

Life can dish out some hard knocks, hard lessons, challenges, and adversity. How to handle them is up to you. You see, there’s a quote that says, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you make of it.” The more you can see life as a lesson, something to learn from, and a gift, the happier you will be. The more you live in your purpose and passion, the easier it is to see things from this perspective. Do you want to have this synergy in your heart, body, mind and soul? Do you want to be happy, overflowing with joy and of value to the world?

Jack finds passion

Jack got tired of stumbling through life. He did some research and discovered a few things: he likes to be outdoors, feeling invigorated by fresh air, strategic thinking and intellection. Previously, when he played golf, he engaged in some of these passions, appreciation of nature, strategic thinking, and insight. He had stopped playing golf due to lack of time. The irony is that after picking up the hobby, he seems to have more time and energy.

At work, he also noticed that his job had become boring because he wasn’t reading the statistical reports as he had when he first started his job. Back then, when he read the reports, he was motivated and excited to pursue strategies that would save the company time and money. So he started reading the reports again and found himself more engaged at work. The drive helped him get things done faster, be more positive, and actually finish on time for many days so he could get home to his kids.

Since Jack got home on time, there was a little break before dinner when he could go out and play with the kids – he loved tossing the ball around and teaching little Jake how to ride a bike! He even inspired him to outfit the family to embrace Saturday morning walks on the local park trail.

When Jack realized that his passions were being outdoors, using his intellectual skills, and creating solutions and strategies, he discovered that these same things appeared in all areas of life. It was exciting and compelling! He was happy, fulfilled and had found synergy in every area of ​​his life.

Now you know what passion is. Now you know the benefit of inviting passion into your life. Take the time to explore your personal passions and integrate them into your life. Passion is a phenomenal gift. If you want to LIVE life to the fullest and enjoy it along the way, take the time to discover your passions. Put them in your daily life. You’ll find you have time for everything you’ve done before and more.