*The long-awaited part 3 of the passionate work series. You can find Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 2.5 here)*
A few months ago, I wrote a short series around finding your passion. I started at the beginning with taking time to get to know yourself. Then, I suggested you start paying attention to what you were curious about. And I even offered some things to consider about whether or not to entirely jump out of a full-time job in order to pursue something you’re passionate about.
But something was missing.
I didn’t quite finish the series because I knew that the “pièce de résistance” was the biggest question I’ve heard (and the biggest complaint) around finding and doing work that lights you up.
How the F@CK do I turn something I’m passionate about into something that makes me money?
Pardon my language. Usually, by the time you ask the question in that way, it’s because you’ve seemingly done all the obvious work, taken the courses, done all the workbooks and you’re STILL exasperated because you haven’t yet figured it out.
The answer, I’m sorry to tell you, is not cut & dry. It’s individual. It depends on the answers you came up with when you looked at the questions I offered you in those earlier articles.
But having gone through the exercise a few times now, on my own and with various clients, I thought I’d try offering a few ways to look at all the puzzle pieces and hopefully help you come up with something that you can put into action.
Putting the pieces together
Assuming you’ve taken some time to get to know yourself, and also look at what you’re curious about, you might have gotten some interesting information, but still asked yourself “what does it all mean?” at the end of it.
So let’s clarify WHY I made you reflect on these questions.
The first part wasn’t just about asking yourself who you are.
It was about asking what you’re good at, and what you like doing.
This information gives you ideas of possible mediums you might use. It’s essentially clues as to HOW you will do your passionate work.
By itself though, it’s not enough. You might be good at building websites, or taking pictures, or researching things, or telling stories, but maybe on its own, it’s not something that really excites you all that much, or you just don’t know what to do with it.
Here’s where the 2nd part comes in handy. What you’re curious about.
I was working through this exercise with a friend the other day, let’s call her Sherry. Sherry is retired. She’s been a woman of service her entire life and made her living through having a service-based business, but a few years ago, she lost her husband. As part of her grieving process, she decided to sell her house and move across the country to be closer to family. When I heard her story, I couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for her to start her life over after such a difficult event. How do you find purpose after all that?
As part of the moving process, Sherry had to downsize, and she got really curious about the process. She started researching it and learned a lot of things about it. And she realized that she got really good at de-cluttering and organizing.
But that’s a boring entrepreneurial idea. Who would pay me to do that? And it’s not exactly something I’m THAT passionate about. I’m just good at it.
But as we talked about it, I dug a little deeper… She was missing a critical piece.
She was selling herself short on the experience she had just gone through.
Sherry didn’t just de-clutter and downsize her house… she did that as a result of losing her husband.
De-cluttering for her wasn’t just about getting rid of old junk. It was going through the grieving process of making the decision to get rid of things that reminded her of her husband.
De-cluttering was about saying goodbye.
Each piece she chose to get rid of reminded her of some memory from their years together. I can’t imagine how agonizing that must have been, can you?
How it all fits together
What if, having gone through it herself, she could connect with other widows who are now in the position she was in only a short time ago, and help THEM go through that process?
What if she could provide them with even the slightest bit of relief by being there with them, so they don’t have to go through this difficult process alone?
What if she could be there to gently guide them, in that de-cluttering and downsizing process, when that inevitable question comes up: Where do I go from here?
Now THAT is purpose.
How do your puzzle pieces fit together?
That’s just one example of how you can make it all fit together. It doesn’t make the process any easier, but it can help make it clearer.
What unique set of skills AND experiences do you have that can link up together, give you the sense of purpose you’re looking for, and lead you to doing the work you can’t not do?
I’ve been through the process. I know how easily we can get caught up in the analytical exercise, trying to figure it all out, and learning new skills to see how we can make a positive impact on the world.
But the one thing we ALL do, is sell ourselves short on the unique experiences that we lived leading up to this very moment, to where you are today.
What makes your contribution special, is the unique set of ingredients that your personality, your experiences, your perspective, your curiosity, your passions and your skills and knowledge, all make up to create this beautiful & delicious soup that is your life.
There is no one in the world like you.
Share it in a way that only you can, and in a way that aligns with who you truly are. Then, you will find yourself doing the work you can’t not do. Not only will you experience joy and meaning because you love the work, it will also be because you are contributing in a positive way, and making a positive impact in other peoples’ lives.