FOLLOW YOUR PURPOSE

How many times have you heard “follow your passion” as a suggestion on how to direct your career? Unfortunately, this well-meaning advice to find work you’re passionate about has sent too many people on a frustrating quest to turn a hobby into a career. The problem with following passions is that they are, by definition, fleeting—they burn hard but die fast. They don’t define who you are or what you are good at. They describe what you like or sometimes love. It doesn’t work to follow your passion. 

 

As wonderful as it might sound to find a job you enjoy within an area you’re passionate about, the best fit is a job that involves the method of work you’re exceptional at—your genius—combined with another aspect of your life that is perhaps even more meaningful and longer-lasting than your passions—your purpose. Your purpose is the impact you make on others that provides meaning to your life. The difference between passion and purpose is the key. Passions are great in the short run, but your purpose is infinite, because it’s connected to who you are and will bring you deeper fulfilment. 

 

Try this: Laura Garnett says, “While we’ve all faced and conquered a variety of challenges and obstacles, I have found that there is almost always one significant recurring challenge or theme that comes up in my clients’ lives. You uncover your core emotional challenge by looking at patterns from your past. Be prepared to do some digging and deep thinking. Be honest with your answers, and don’t worry how it all translates to your purpose.”