Special Note: Today is the last full day of the 72-hour Cyber Monday Sale of The Path to Passion Course. It’s $50 off the regular price.
Once you find your life passion, you’re compelled to follow it, to live it.
You’re compelled because it’s so much fun. It’s engaging. It’s the thing you can’t not do.
But even with this innate drive to practice your passion, whether in your work or otherwise, there are certain daily strategies passionate people follow to squeeze the juiciest juice from the work or pursuits they love.
Even if you haven’t found your life passion yet, practicing these strategies will help you feel more passionate and engaged in the life you have right now. When you’re so focused on not having a passion, it’s easy to lose sight of the parts of your life and work that ARE working.
And acting “as if” you are passionate about what you’re doing will create happier, more positive feelings in general. This positive state of mind can also free your creative energy and motivation to uncover your passion or recognize it when you encounter it.
So here are ten things passionate people do every day to support their passions and find fulfillment through them.
1. Wake up early
Passionate people generally want to wake up early. They know they have exciting things going on, things they can’t wait to tackle. So it’s easy to hop out of bed early and start the day. But even for those who like to lounge in the bed for a while, waking up early gives you a head start on the day. It gives you extra time to prepare and prioritize. And the quiet of the early morning is often the best time to brainstorm, create, and generate solutions. If you haven’t found your passion, this early time can be used to work on finding it.
2. Set 3 big goals
Rather than just launching in to the first activity that demands our attention, passionate people have a plan. They know what’s most important for the day, they prioritize, and they set three non-negotiable goals for the day that must be accomplished. This doesn’t mean setting goals for other tasks can’t be added in to the mix. But three big daily goals is a manageable number and keeps you moving forward toward your bigger goals (which passionate people set for themselves).
3. Get engaged quickly
Particularly if mornings are productive times for you, make the first big goal you tackle for the day something that really engages you. For me, it’s writing. I try to do most of my writing in the mornings since it requires focus and energy. Plus it’s what I really enjoy doing, so it sets my day off on a positive, happy tone. The first thing you work on in the morning can set the mood for the entire day. So choose something that really grabs your focus and builds your energy.
4. Remove distractions
All of your morning plans for engaging, fulfilling work can be sabotaged if the phone is constantly ringing, emails are dinging, and people are knocking on your door. Before you begin any task or pursuit, remove possible distractions. Shut down all extraneous tabs on your computer. Turn off your phone. Close down your email. Set an alarm for yourself if you need to re-engage with the world after a period of time. But when you are working, do what you can to maintain your focus.
5. Delegate when possible
When you have a passion, that’s what you want to be doing. You don’t want to be swamped with tasks and obligations that pull you away from the work or pursuit you love. Of course we have some not-so-fun tasks we must manage ourselves, but whenever possible, delegate. I’ve hired a personal assistant for a few hours a week to handle many of the tasks I hate (paying bills, opening mail, dealing with repairmen, etc.) to free me up to do the work I so enjoy. Think about ways you can delegate some of these tasks yourself.
6. Recharge
When I first jumped into my passion, I found myself sitting at my computer all day long, deeply engrossed in my work. I’d lift my head at 6:00 pm and realize how stiff and sore my body was, how my eyes hurt, and how my energy had depleted. Passionate people must take breaks during the day to recharge and re-energize. If you sit at a desk all day long, then getting up and moving around is absolutely necessary. But you can also recharge by engaging in a brief meditation, a cat nap, or simply taking some deep breaths and stretching. Eating nutritious, energizing foods also helps you recharge.
7. Connect with others
Passionate people connect with other passionate people. The enthusiasm and energy shared by people who are living their passions only makes the experience richer and more interesting. This connection may be through a business partnership, a brainstorming session, a social media connection, a meet-up, or a simple phone call to discuss the events of the day. Passionate people draw energy and motivation from these interactions and intentionally make them part of their day.
8. Move positively through challenges
Having a passion doesn’t mean you don’t have daily challenges or roadblocks. There are parts of anyone’s passion that can be difficult, boring, or unpleasant. But passionate people recognize these challenges as blips on the radar screen and can move past them quickly and confidently, knowing that the passionate parts of their passion await them. They have the perspective to see that sometimes a difficulty is simply a means to a passionate end.
9. Focus more on action than outcome
Passionate people are generally focused more on the pursuit or practice of their passion more than whatever outcome will be achieved (income, prestige, etc.). They are passionate because the love the “doing” of their passion and see the doing itself as the reward. They find the deep engagement that action provides more valuable than material rewards.
10. Expect great things
Passionate people simply have a daily expectation that good things are happening and will continue to happen. They feel positive and motivated to expect great things because they are so happy and fulfilled in the moment. And they know they are doing their best work because they love what they do. And when you are doing your best, when you are highly creative or inspired, you actually do produce great things and make great things happen.
Whether or not you’ve found your life passion, practicing these passionate strategies will add passion to your day. As you are seeking passion, make the act of seeking it your temporary passion until you find your true passion. There’s more joy and excitement to be found in the search than you might expect.
If you are living your passion, you are likely following these ten strategies already. But if not, add them to your day, and you’ll find you’re even more engaged and energized by your passion than you’ve been previously.
Last day: 72-Hour Cyber Monday Sale, Path to Passion Course
If you’d like support in finding your passion or in making it real in your life, please check out my NEW Self-Guided Discovery version of The Path to Passion Course. It is on sale for $50 off until Thursday, December 5 at 9:00 am EST. Click the banner below to learn more or register:
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