When I was in fifth grade, our
teacher, Ms. Rader, used to make us write a story using all of the words in our
spelling list. Most of the kids grumbled
at the thought of all of that work. It
seemed tedious to most, but I looked at this as a challenge. I made a game of the work by making my
stories have recurring characters in each one.
The other kids were entertained by my stories, and they began to look
forward to seeing what would happen with these characters each week.
I took a chore and turned it
into something that I became passionate about.
I found the activity fun, and the other students were amused. I realized how much I liked the attention
that people paid to something that I created.
There began my love of writing.
But as I got older, life
happened. Between school, work, raising
a child, and having a social life, I didn’t continue my hobby of writing. I took writing up again when I started
stand-up comedy, but it wasn’t until I decided to write a screenplay that I
brought that passion back to life.
Within three weeks, I finished my first screenplay. I felt a rush from having the opportunity to
be creative and create a whole world of characters and situations.
Sometimes, we forget that
things that we really loved to do and that brought us so much joy. Once we realize what we are truly passionate
about, that passion does not feel like work.
There contains a sense of pride in something that we create. Don’t think about the money. If you do something that you love, the money
will come. I enjoyed talking to people,
making them laugh, and showing them the city that I loved so much, and by doing
that, I found a way to make money from it.
One way to rediscover what you
are passionate about is to imagine asking your 10-year-old self what they would
think about your life now. What would
they have really wanted to do with the life that you have? Is there anything that they are disappointed
that you haven’t done yet or tried?
What do you enjoy doing that
makes you completely lose track of time?
Have you ever been so involved in a hobby or task that you forgot to
eat? You were so enthralled in what you
were doing that time just slipped away from you. I am certain that Thomas Edison was so swept
away with his inventions that he missed some meals and sleep, too.
What really gets you fired
up? Is there a problem that you want to
solve or at least, be a part of making the situation better? Maybe you are heartbroken over seeing
unwanted dogs in the pound or you wish there was something that you could do
for the hungry and homeless on the street.
Look at what social issues really concern you. This might be a window to discover what your
purpose is. It could be something as
small as giving away bags with sandwiches and hygiene products to homeless
people on the street. Maybe you could
find volunteering at an animal shelter as a rewarding experience that
contributes to helping animals in need. One
person can save the world. Okay, maybe
you won’t save the world, but your efforts accompanied by your passion can make
a difference.
Let’s pretend that there is no
TV, no video games, and no surfing the internet. What would you do with all of this extra
time? What if you found out that you
only had a year to live? What would you
do with this valuable time allotted to you?
Hopefully, you will never have to face that decision, but you can make
the choice to live with the same sense of urgency. We are only given a finite period of time on
this blue ball, so it is important to spend it wisely and make the most of it.
What comes easy to you? Evaluating what your talents are can help
determine what your purpose is. What is
important to you? When you combine your
talents and skills with your values and passions, you will discover your
purpose.
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