Thought for the Week: Find your Passion

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As most of you know, I have been on the job hunt for quite some time.  While having a law degree is invaluable, having a law degree and not wanting to practice law is a bit tougher.  As my search has progressed, I have spent plenty of time talking with different people in different fields.  It has been a long process, but I have loved getting to network and meet such a vast array of extremely dynamic and committed leaders.  One obvious truth has emerged from each of my meetings: these people, these leaders at the top of their organizations, love what they do.  In fact, I would even venture to say they are passionate about what they do.  

This realization shouldn't be much of a surprise.  There are hundreds of self help books, or just quotes on Pinterest, about following your passion as a way to success.  While this is great in theory, I think that sometimes pinpointing a passion is a little tougher.  In the space of a single hour my passions can vacillate widely.  So how does one go about picking just one passion to pursue?  As Josh has told me more than once "you can be anything you want to be...but you can't be everything you want to be."  (I'm still working on a way to disprove this theory, by the way.)

Either way, I did get some great advice last week that helped me conceptualize the process of "finding your passion."  The advice was to write down five things you love on a piece of paper.  The five things can be anything - good, bad or neutral.  The most important thing is to be honest with yourself and write down five things you truly love.  Keep this list - in your pocket, your wallet, in your sock drawer, wherever - it's just for you.  Then choose one item on the list and make it a career.  The other four items on the list should become your hobbies.  The result is a life filled with activities, people, or things you love.  The list may change over time as you grow and have new experiences, but this is something to be embraced.   

Making a "career" of a passion can be a scary, difficult path.  However, having a career in a field where you lack passion can be even scarier.  Whether you choose to open your own restaurant, stay home to raise children, or crunch numbers for a bank, loving what you do is the best way to ensure fulfillment (and hopefully success) in the long run.

This post is dedicated to RHA who is fearlessly and relentlessly chasing her passion.  

You are a great example to me and everyone around you, and we couldn't be more proud.  xoxo

xo,