For a good six months or a year (ending about six months ago), I became passionate to restore my lost faith and to develop a relationship with God that I had lacked until that point. Upon fulfilling that passion or purpose, I have again begun to wander aimlessly in my life. Certainly, I still benefit from achieving those goals, but what it seems I lack is a clear knowledge of what my passion in life is. I have periods of passion and indifference, but those passions have always revolved around some short-term goal; I seem to not even have one of those, right now! So really, I'm looking to find at least one thing that really charges my life.
The kind of passion that I'm talking about is like that of a musician who doesn't simply find their music soothing, but also fulfilling and rewarding. Or the backyard mechanic who fixes cars and sells them because he just loves to revive unwanted vehicles. Or the computer geek, who often devotes 20+ hours/week, on top of his full-time job, to helping develop open source applications that he will never receive a dime from. I've heard tale that there are things in this life that people will invest a lot of time and energy into, even if they never get any financial rewards out of it - whether it's playing guitar, or drawing comics, or reading books, or travelling, or whatever. I want to find that passion in my life - the evasive, almost mythical, activity or purpose that millions around the world frequently sacrifice so much to be able to pursue.
This is where you come in: If you are willing to share, please answer (in the comments) the questions that follow. My hope is that reading your answers may help me to find my passion in life. If you don't wish for your answer to be seen, please send me a Facebook message instead.
- What is your biggest passion in life?
- Why are you passionate about it?
- How did you find/discover your passion?
- What advice would you give to a friend (me) who is seeking to find his passion?
4 comments:
1. Traveling on Motorcycles of course. :o)
2/3. Well........When I was a kid I wasn't much good at anything but then I was introduced to Motorcycles and I turned out being better that all my friends without even trying. I love nature and love seeing new places so of course the best way to see the scenery is on a Motorcycle because I am surrounded by it rather than trying to see it through a windshield with rear view mirrors, corner posts and roof getting in my way.
The thing with a passion is, "I think" it needs to be a goal that you work towards while still paying attention to the basics in life, it shouldn't control your life or be something that you are obsessed with while forgetting the rest of life. And of course I have more than one thing that I am passionate about or I think I would end up being obsessed if there was only one thing.
1. Writing (in literature and now GAMES)
2. Storytelling is an integral part of our culture and promotes not only logical, linear thinking (plot), but also a concept of time and history(story), and also, ideally, an understanding of human culture and an empathy for other human beings.
3. I was an only child in a strict household and had to amuse myself quietly with something that was indistinguishable from homework.
4. Travel, meditate, read, listen to classical music (or find some new music), talk to people if you're an extrovert or lock yourself in your room if you're an introvert (if you don't know, take a Myers-Briggs test but then throw it away because they're really a crock of shite anyway), get your tarot cards read (also a crock of shite, but interesting nonetheless), take a shower, sleep for a week, or do the thing that makes you think. In other words, get outside your comfort zone and find a way to relax there.
1)Researching Family History
2)The detective/treasure hunt challenge...the stories that emerge...rebuilding families...learn the worth of a soul...reinforcing gospel principles...learn of own cross-section of history...
3)Curiosity (was 3rd great-granny really murdered?)...experimentation (I’ll look in this database)...prayer (Where are great-granny’s papers?)...practice (look in more databases)...perseverance (this is tedious...but I want to know...slog on)...
(Found her papers one Mother's Day...she was murdered...reads like an unsolved Agatha Christe mystery!)
4) Experiment...what activity gives you energy, enhances your sense of well-being? Usually it will fall into creativity and/or compassion (service)as we naturally take after Father in Heaven. Check out "Happiness, Your Heritage" by Dieter F. Uchtdorf (at www.lds.org)
And this from Gene C. Hayden from her book "The Follow-Through Factor":
"Stick with your current project through thick and thin and a funny thing will happen—you’ll grow more attached to it. Think of a project as a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle. It’s exciting to start, but so tedious to continue at times.
"And yet, every time you match two pieces of the puzzle together, you get a little spark that drives you to keep going until it’s completed. The more you do, the more you want to do."
Thank you for your responses so far. They are much appreciated!
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