Searching for Passion

We have heard it over and over again: “Follow your passion!” “Do what you love and the money will find you.” “Passion is energy.”

We appreciate the significance of passion. We find ourselves passionate about things and become relentless in pursuing them. Passion motivates us to take action.

The challenge for me has not been what passion urges me to do. My challenge is finding my passion.

I am a fairly analytical person. Some people would say that being analytical is one of my main strengths. Being strong at analysis does not help me discern my passion. I get enthusiastic more that passionate.

It is not that I do not try. When I spend time searching for passion, it often becomes an analytical exercise.

Part of the challenge is I might not really trust passion. My relationship to analysis convinces me it is reliable, where passion can be unpredictable. The hot fire of passion burns quickly. Analyzing gives me more light.

Searching for passion takes me longer. Perhaps I have a higher threshold for passion, or there is more of a test for my passion to pass. The passion of a moment is not enough for me. Passion must be lasting.

My search for passion takes me in the direction of my values. Our values are, in some ways, the passions that have continued and grown all our lives. As we find our values, we fit them together into our vision for our lives. Our vision reflects the passion that inspires us and supports us.

We grow in understanding, and our passion no longer flares up to burn our fingers. Passion becomes the fire that gives us heat and light in the darkness.

How do you recognize your passion?

Where will you search for passion today?

[Image by gotgenes]