Passion is about more than finding your calling in life. It means caring intensely about who you are, what you stand for, and what you do every day. It’s about making a difference in people’s lives, pursuing your dreams, and contributing to the world around you. Passion is about waking up with a purpose, following your heart, and living life to the fullest. As Mae West said, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” So find your passion and live your life with gusto.
Sadly, some folks don’t live . . . they merely exist. They sit silently rather than taking a stand; they follow blindly rather than thinking for themselves; and they dip their toes in the water rather than taking the plunge. These folks are self-conscious about “standing out,” afraid of making a commitment, uncomfortable in their own skin, and reluctant to put themselves on the line. They’re a bit like wallpaper, comfortable living life in the background despite the fact that they’re bursting with promise. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get going and pursue your passion. As Lucille Ball said, “I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done.”
Where Is Passion Born?
If you’re passionate about something, you’ll wake up each morning thrilled to greet another day. You’ll require less sleep; you may forget to eat; and you’ll always make time for the things you love. In fact, some folks find it hard to stop thinking about anything else. But who’s even trying? When you’re passionate about something, the adrenaline rush will consume you from the top of your head to the tip of your toes. And you may smile so much that your jaw hurts. People will say your excitement is contagious and that you look happier than ever. The truth is, you are.
Discover your passion:
- Toast yourself. Pretend you’re toasting yourself at your future retirement dinner. What were the most fulfilling moments of your life? What made you happiest? Then make sure you do more of those things before your real retirement.
- Get free advice. Ask some retired people what changes they’d make if they had the opportunity to live life over again. Learn from their experience.
- Think out of the box. Assume that you have enough money and that only your wishes matter — if you had only 10 years to live, what would you do? Once you’ve identified some possibilities, get moving!
Believe in yourself:
- Believe in yourself. If you don’t have confidence in yourself, don’t expect others to have faith in you.
- Kill negative thoughts. Banish those negative thoughts. They’ll reduce your confidence and drag you down.
- Accentuate the positive. Surround yourself with people who provide encouragement. They’ll also provide energy and support when you need it most.
- See yourself a success. Spend a few moments each day picturing yourself a success. Imagine yourself accepting the award, closing the big deal, or receiving a standing ovation for your achievements. It might just happen!
Take a chance:
- What’s worse –– failing or never trying? When you attempt something, there are two outcomes –– success or failure. If you don’t try, you give up any opportunity for success. As Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
- What’s the worst that could happen? Some efforts seem daunting until you calculate the downside risk. Worrying is often worse than reality.
- Please yourself first. Stop looking for acceptance and determine what YOU want out of life.
- Control your fears. Don’t worry about things that you can’t control.
Decisions, decisions, decisions:
- Difficult decisions made easy. Instead of laboring over a tough decision, determine the key decision-making criteria, and use these to evaluate your options. Then do it!
- Be your own best friend. If you were giving advice to a good friend, what would you say? There’s your answer.
- Don’t let your brain talk you out of it. Passion lives in the heart, not the head. So follow your heart, but don’t forget to bring your brain.
- Nothing is for life. Don’t lose sleep if your decision doesn’t pan out. Very few decisions are life altering, and there is almost always something to learn, as long as you try.
Go for it:
- Light small fires. Try something new. Start small. If it doesn’t work out, limit your losses, and move on. If things go well, build on your successes.
- Hit some singles. Some people set unrealistic expectations and overwhelm themselves in the process. Instead, set achievable, short-term goals while pursuing your long-term plans. Small wins will keep you motivated as you pursue your long-term goals.
- Life doesn’t go according to plan. Sometimes we create an “imaginary” plan and hold ourselves accountable to it. Be flexible. There’s nothing wrong with deviating from the plan.
- Break it down. When faced with a large problem, break it down into digestible parts. It’s easier to address big problems in small pieces.
- Don’t quit. Never quit at the first sign of a challenge. Quitting is habit forming. But then again, so is winning.
- Get going. Stop procrastinating and get started. Dreams, unlike eggs, don’t hatch from sitting on them.
- Dream BIG. Believe in the impossible. And then prove it CAN be done.
- Be yourself. As John Mason said, “You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.”
Pursue Your Passion Today
It doesn’t matter what you’re passionate about — what’s important is being passionate about something that matters to you. So stop wishing and start doing; stop following and take the lead. It’s time for you to stand up for your beliefs. It’s time for you to make your opinions heard. It’s time for you to make a difference in your life and in the lives of others around you. Get up from the couch and jump in with both feet. Sure . . . the road will be lined with caution signs, and there may even be some speed bumps along the way, but if you’re positive and remain determined, you’ll be happy that you tried. As Abraham Lincoln said, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” So find your passion and pursue it today!
How Do You Feel About Passion?
Additional Reading:
The Power of a Positive Attitude
The Winner’s Edge
Seeing the World Through Rose-Colored Glasses
If You’re Not Proud, You’re Not Done
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Wonderful post.
You can turn this article into a manifesto for people to read each day as a reminder to live in passion.
Your words resonate with me a lot, especially when you wrote: “Passion is about waking up with a purpose, following your heart, and living life to the fullest”
Heart spoken words.
Thanks Frank!!!!!!
Knowing you Lolly, you don’t need a reminder to wake up with purpose and to follow your heart. You live these words every day.
Thanks for your encouragement and support. You’re the best!
Frank
Frank, Great post. It’s so important to pay attention to what lights us up. When we stay stuck in unispired work becaue of fear or the other reasons you suggest, we miss the opportunity to contribute our best gifts.
Hi Karin
So true. Too many of us say, “maybe tomorrow”, but then tomorrow never comes. We all have one life to live, do it with gusto.
Have an awesome day!
Best,
Frank
Frank- this is the one I am going to print and hang on the bulletin board!
“Don’t let your brain talk you out of it. Passion lives in the heart, not the head. So follow your heart, but don’t forget to bring your brain.”
Thanks for another post filled with character building advice.
Hi Barbara
Thanks for your thoughts.
Many people rely solely on emotion or logic to make their decisions. The truth is life is a balancing act. “So follow your heart, but don’t forget to bring your brain.” Passion is an important ingredient of character and success.
Best,
Frank
Well said, Frank, especially, waking up with a purpose. This is what passion is really about, waking up with a passion and working every day to do a little more, learn a little more, and move toward having a bigger impact. Thank you. Jon
Thanks Jon
You’re right on the mark! I’m so glad that you included, “learn a little more” in your comment. To me, becoming a better person, every day, is the name of the game.
Have an awesome day!
Best,
Frank
Oh Frank, I could not have read this at a better time. I lost my job yesterday for standing up for something I truly believed in, after 17 years of just going along!! I know I did the right thing but your post has really lifted my spirits! Of course John is thrilled to have me home everyday with him. Can’t wait to see you and Caron on the beach, Thank you Frank,Happy Thoughts, Terri
Hi Terri
Some may look at this as a bad thing, I think you went out with class. This says a lot about your character and who you are as a person. You can take great pride knowing that you did the right thing. Everything happens for a reason. You went out in style. Happy Retirement 🙂
Hope to see you and John soon.
Best,
Frank
PS I’m proud to call you my friend!
Dear Frank,
Every time I start thinking you can’t get any better you prove me wrong. What a great post. It will take me weeks just to tweet out all the great quotes! Augie
Hi Augie —
Thanks for your kind words and for sharing this post with your friends and colleagues. I must admit … it’s a lot easier to write a post when you’re passionate about the subject.
Best,
Frank
Very Insightful Post Frank. Most people inadvertently ignore the fact that for any dream or goal to be accomplished, it must be driven by having a “Passion” for it.
To share further on your comment to Barbara concerning “Emotion” When you attach emotion to your goals, it will elude you.
Attach your emotion by helping others, then success will chase after you, which means you’ll fulfil your purpose adequately.
Regards, Glenn
Hi Glenn
You’re absolutely correct in saying, “Most people inadvertently ignore the fact, that for any dream or goal to be accomplished, it must be driven by having a ‘Passion’ for it.” It’s a lot easier being successful if you love what you do.
Have an awesome day!
Best,
Frank
Fantastic post, Frank! There is indeed no greater feeling in the world than knowing you are living passionately on purpose — inner values aligned with outer acton. And while it takes time and courage to break out of the proverbial box and into the fullest expression of ourselves, once we find our passion, the ongoing and inevitable challenges in our life begin to pale in comparison to the peace and joy that comes from passionately honoring the deepest callings of our heart.
Hi Sharon
So true. Once you have passion in your bones, there’s no turning back. It’s so rewarding. As George Burns said, “I’d rather be a failure at something I enjoy than a success at something I hate.”
Have an awesome day!
Best,
Frank
Hi Mary
Your passion is coming through loud and clear. Have fun with your grandchildren 🙂 Your website can wait.
Best,
Frank
Frank, what a timely post! Many of us ( including myself) can benefit from words that stoke our need to remain passionate about our vision for life. I particularly appreciate your insight to glean from seniors for their wealth of knowledge to offer guidance. Truth is, there are a number of things that can douse ones passion, but with encouragement like this, the flames will rise again. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bishop
I’m so glad this post resonated with you.
We have borrowed time on earth. We owe it to ourselves, and our loved ones, to live life with vigor and passion. As W.M. Lewis said, “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it.” The choice is ours.
Best,
Frank
WOW – your words are so inspiring and reassuring. I, personally, have been living with awful symptoms day in and day out with the debilitating disease, Gastroparesis. For the past 2 years, I have been dependent on a feeding tube for nutrition. In the beginning, I was the silent “wallpaper” just watching. I hid my illness and felt ashamed talking about it. Like I was “weak” or less important if other’s new. This past Jan, I hit a very low spot. I had loss purpose in my life, when my illness was robbing me of my career. Being unable to be in the classroom and teach, defeated me. However, the majority of that changed. I met a wonderful friend in an online support group for Gastroparesis. With a few others, we began an advocacy group. (I was extremely hesitant and planned on just watching and observing their efforts, participating only when comfortable. However, after stepping over the obstacle that my inner voice was afraid of, I refound purpose in my life. I now advocate with a passion everywhere I go. Feel the adrenaline rush, when others see, share, RT my messages of awareness.
Thank you again for your motivational words.
Hi Trisha
While you may be thanking me for providing inspiration, you’re the one who’s inspiring us. BRAVO Trisha. You’re taken a tough situation and turned it around to help others. With all the bad news in the press these days, it’s good to know that there are real heroes like you. Thank you SO much for your inspiring story!
Best,
Frank
Great piece of motivational writing. Love the quote by, Lincoln. I plan to add a lot of life to my years.
Bishop
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post. I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Best,
Frank