Is that job really your passion?

I have watched it over and over again: the people that succeed in a particular career path are the people who are able to tap into their natural passions and aim that fire hose into their professional life.

They know what they love and they find ways to translate that into a source of livelihood. Sometimes they make a nice income, and that’s awesome. At other times, they earn just enough to get by.

In both cases, it’s a joy to get out of bed in the morning and get started on your day. Your work fills you with joy and excitement. When you reach that point, the line between work and play disappears—you’re happy doing whatever your day throws at you. That has a value that can’t be measured in Malawi Kwacha or the scarce dollars. It transforms your life.

I hear from many people who claim this is impossible. It’s not. Every single day, I get out of bed, excited to read, talk and write on economic-related topics. I get economics registering directly or indirectly all over my job accomplishments.

I know others who have same passion for their profession or jobs. It makes them want to get out of bed in the morning and get started. When you feel that passion surging through you, a lot of the little difficulties at your workplace or in life generally will cease to matter that much.

To discover your passion, ask lots of questions. If you come across something of interest to you, ask. Follow up with more questions until you’re satisfied—at least for the moment. Research topics of your interest online. Do things like a “Wikipedia stumble”—start at a general topic/profession you are interested in and keep reading and following links.

Do you remember the idea that you should stop trying to impress other people? It comes through big time here. If you enjoy what you do, it doesn’t matter what others think. Don’t be afraid to dive into something that seems exciting to you over a fear that others might find you a jerk.

Their label says more about them than it does about the activity/profession you are passionate about. Don’t force yourself into a career path (or profession) because you want to impress or just because you are already in it. Discover yourself out and get amazed at seeing the best of your natural talents image almost effortlessly.

You’ll know your passion when you find it. It’ll ring inside of you like a hammer hitting a church bell. It’ll consume your thoughts and your activities, even if you’re not very good at it yet. You’ll get up each morning excited to do more.

Once you discover your passion, it is important to associate with others that share this growing passion of yours. Look for associations or events in your area where people might be involved with this interest. Even look for groups online where people are talking about this activity/area. Join in, share your thoughts, and ask questions. Nothing’s better for fostering a growing interest than a group of like-minded people.

But then what do you do if you discover your passion, but there doesn’t seem to be any way to translate that into income? After all, you have to pay the bills, and even though you’ve found something you love so much you’d be happy to do it every day, it doesn’t put food on the table.

There are countless avenues for channeling that passion into income. However, almost all of these paths require you to start doing it on a part-time basis. Give up the frivolous things you were spending your evenings on and devote some of that time to a new path.

Work towards a degree in the area of your passion. It’s a great way to get yourself into the marketplace and to connect with lots of like-minded folks that could connect you to income streams within your passion area. Be as innovative as you can with your passion.

Trust me colleagues, finding your passion is a life-changing event. It pushes you in new directions that fulfil you in ways you’d never expect. If you have not yet found your passion, you’re missing out on life by not seeking it out.