How to Find Your Passion: Stay on Your Path
Kent R.
A lot of people think that once they find their passion, they'll be so overjoyed that they will cease to have doubts – they will be transformed from someone who hates Mondays to a person who bolts out of bed, overjoyed about the idea of getting to work.
That's an entirely unrealistic view of passion, but it's very common. And it makes staying the course really difficult.
In this episode of the Stop Hating Monday Podcast, we're getting real about one of the hardest parts about the journey to passion, purpose, fulfillment – staying on track once you've identified something you're passionate about.
TRANSCRIPT
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Kent
Today we're talking about staying on track. Why? Because a lot of people think that once they find their passion, they'll be so over the moon that they will cease to have doubts they will be transformed from people who hate Mondays to a person who bolts out of bed, overjoyed about the idea of getting to work.
That's an entirely unrealistic view of passion, but it's very common and it makes staying the course really difficult.
Being passionate about something doesn't mean that something will never feel like work. It doesn't mean that you will never have doubts. It doesn't mean that you won't find yourself frustrated and questioning your choices.
So, in today's episode of the Stop Hating Monday Podcast, we're getting real about one of the hardest parts about the journey to passion, purpose, fulfillment – staying on track once you've identified something you're passionate about.
Caanan
OK, where did the idea that not knowing an outcome meant don't do it… don't start?
Kent
Right, it came from every message we receive. Pretty much, yeah.
Caanan
Yes, uh, there's this idea that somehow we should only start something if an outcome is guaranteed. We've become a very return on investment society and very goal driven.
Kent
Yeah, they talk about helicopter parenting. It's like we're helicopter living where we're like helicoptering over our own lives and if anything strikes any degree of fear or questioning, it's bad.
Caanan
Yeah, so many people make decisions based on their ability to forecast an outcome, yeah?
And it's essentially antithetical to staying on track once you've identified passion in your life. And so our first tip is to get comfortable with uncertainty.
Kent
So we're always saying move with intention not expectation.
Caanan
Oh, that is such a good saying.
Kent
Yeah, it's all about the intention with what you're doing, something – you know, as we've said on podcasts this season and another season – the journey is where the juice is at.
We spend a lot of our time on consulting projects getting people and companies and workgroups detached from outcomes and getting into the journey. 'Cause you know what it makes the outcome even better. We also like to talk a lot about informed doing, which is basically doing from a place of intention when you're not focused on that expectation. When you're comfortable with uncertainty. Where you're taking some chances, it makes the doing more interesting, thus informed doing.
Caanan
Yeah, and informed doing also references all the work you've already done. The things we've talked about in the first episodes of this season of the podcast. Understanding your strengths and values. The life wheel exercise you did. Understanding the different aspects of your life.
Yeah, all of those things prepare you to not worry so much about outcomes and instead just start on a path because you know you're making a good decision because you've got the framework for decision making that comes from knowing your strengths and values and having done your life wheel. All the hard work.
Kent
Exactly. And when you're on the right path, which you will feel deeply, road blocks come up. We're going to get into that – spoiler alert. All sorts of things come up good and bad, and it just doesn't matter because you're on the right path. The painful thing is not being on the right path, so once you're on the right path and where you're in this stay on track mindset get very comfortable with uncertainty.
Caanan
Well, you already essentially said our tip two, so I'll just lead with it.
Kent
I spoiled it, yeah.
Caanan
That's alright! Don't avoid the bumps in the road.
You've already committed to being OK with uncertainty, yeah? But what about when your path gets bumpy? I mean, we live in a culture that likes to outsource anything that's uncomfortable or avoid discomfort in our lives. But instead of having that mindset – instead of expecting that your path is going to be free of difficulties, it's better to anticipate and welcome those difficulties.
Because – and this is going to sound like a cliche, but it's true – it's the bumps in the road, it's the trials you'll encounter on your path, where the real growing happens, so you want to embrace those things. So, I'll say it again, don't avoid the bumps in the road.
Kent
Yeah, you're always saying passion is something you love even when you hate it.
So instead of expecting your path to be free of difficulties, anticipate and welcome them. They are the points when the most growth happens and working through these challenges can be the greatest source of fulfillment. And that's what you're after, so you're going to get these doses of fulfillment all along your correct path. So much so that the journey – or destination if there is one, really might even be a slightly less fulfilling, which is why you know you find people who are really in the zone on their path to passion.
I should say path of passion, not to passion… They're on their path of passion. It just keeps getting longer and longer and longer 'cause you're back here, but you're just seeing all these possibilities paving the path ahead as you're living open to uncertainty.
Caanan
Yes, I just have to add – because you said one of my favorite sayings – passion is something you love even when you hate it.
There's a very common saying out there that, you know, if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. it's total BS. If you go into passion feeling like it's going to be a cakewalk and you'll never encounter a road bump, the moment you do, you're going to question whether or not it's an authentic passion or you're just going to give up.
So you've got to go in thinking, “I'm going to encounter a lot of bumps and it's going to feel like work, it's just going to feel like very fulfilling work.”
Kent
That I love.
Caanan
Yeah, so another thing that will get a lot of people off their track once they've found passion in their lives is this idea that new is better. And this is another very commonly held belief. Even if you're not, you know, consciously aware of it.
Well, new is better is a ridiculous belief to begin with, but it is antithetical to finding your path.
And here's the problem. When you start, impulsive energy is going to make that beginning very exhilarating. But sticking with something is hard. It just it just is. So when it gets hard – this is kind of what I was talking about before – a lot of people will find themselves looking for something new because they miss the exhilaration of the start of…
Kent
The initial rush.
Caanan
Yeah, and it's a pattern that we've been conditioned to chase. Yes, so here's our tip number three – and I'm going to have you explain this after I give it.
When you find you’re on your path of passion, look forward and glance side to side.
Kent
There's a lot of times, you know, in other podcast seasons, you've heard us talk about not paying attention to what other people are doing. It is soul crushing.
So there's times where it's important to just absolutely stay focused only on you. But once you have some momentum going, especially here as you're on your path of you like that. Yes, path of passion, it's OK to glance side to side. You not only need to see what other people are doing, you know you want to see what's happening in the landscape, right? Yeah, you want to see the tools that are being used, different modalities, different approaches. So it's okay to glance side to side. It's smart to glance side to side once you have the power of conviction on your own path, but…
Caanan
Because we're not… We're not saying don't understand the industry or don't pay attention to your environment. What we're saying is essentially avoid the traps that are set that will give you passion. FOMO.
Kent
Yeah, exactly.
Kent
Your test should be, the world is built to keep you wanting something different, so if what you're glancing at makes you want something different – even though you know you're on the right path – quit looking.
Kent
OK, that's it. Our stay on track episode of our passion season. Tip number one: Get comfortable with uncertainty. Tip number two: Don't avoid those bumps in the road. And number three: look forward and glance side to side.
