You know that famous quote, “Find what you love to do and get paid for it?” Isn’t that everyone’s dream? Perhaps you have an unstoppable personality, but what if you have no idea how to channel it into a paying job? Alternatively, what do you do if you don’t know what your passion is in the first place?
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
THINK BACK
Take inventory of all the times in your life you truly felt excited and energized. As you do so, connect the dots between those events, and you just might see themes emerge.
Maybe you learn that you are really interested in leading people, as evidenced by your time as a camp counselor and captain of your high school lacrosse team. Perhaps you realize you really love solving problems and are at your most motivated when you are heads down coding.
We are all unique as individuals, and each of us has our own distinct blueprint for what inspires us. Figure out yours, and you are halfway there.
CHECK YOURSELF
(Before you say “no” to what inspires you).
In other words, be honest with yourself about your current state of mind and what perceived (or real) roadblocks are ahead of you. Rather than thinking about what you can’t do, don’t have access to, and other limitations, think about turning your own life puzzle upside down to change up your perspective.
If you are surrounding yourself with negative people, for example, chances are you’ll adopt their downer energy. Partner with others who are pursuing their own passions, and expect to see a change in your own approach.
PULL IT TOGETHER
I am passionate about understanding what drives people. I love building something from nothing. I enjoy seeing people accomplish things they never thought possible. For me, these passions were woven into a career in startups and people strategy.
It took me a bit of time to understand the different components and how they might work together to motivate me and drive value for a company. When I couldn’t find the environment to do that, I helped to create it.
It doesn’t come overnight, but if you have a clear sense of what is important to you, you have the makings of the roadmap to find your passion.
MONETIZE
I have a friend whose passion is drawing – generally speaking, not the most lucrative field. He also happens to have a desire for a “big” lifestyle. As a result of both realities, he needed to figure out how to make money from his passion and maintain the flexibility that might be required to achieve his desired lifestyle. He had to find his niche and figure out how to meet the needs of that particular audience once he found it.
It took some creativity and a few hard-earned lessons. Not everyone was going to pay him for sketches, regardless of how good they might be. However, what he did find was that illustrations were a hit with small businesses that were hungry for website content. Years later, he has built a great little business, marrying his talents with those willing to pay for them.
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
It’s often hard to put yourself out there and put a stake in the ground for what’s truly important to you. To follow your passion can sometimes be a lonely road. And yet, if you let the naysayers get in your way, you will self-sabotage.
Surround yourself with people who believe in you, and determine milestones to help you make progress and build confidence in yourself.
The greatest accomplishments in life start with passion. Find yours, apply the above advice, and you’re on the path to a fulfilling career.
Christina Luconi is Chief People Officer for Rapid7. Follow her on Twitter: @peopleinnovator.