Introducing The Finding Your Passion Podcast Finding your passion and purpose in life is something that for many people haunts us daily. Certainly through the podcast Join Up Dots we have more people either struggling with coming up with their dream business idea or the step before which is of course of finding their passion in life. So is there a quick fix to discovery what lights us up inside or do we simply just have to go through life struggling to find our personal truth? Well we think there is as you will hear on today's show. So let's start with an email that we received from Finding Your Purpose In Life Question Hello David! Huge new fan of the show so first of all a thank you for creating such informative and entertaining content. I listen every day on my way to and from work. My own issue is that I am struggling to find my purpose in life. I am 34, have 2 degrees and a host of short (unrelated) courses under my belt. How do you find your purpose? If you have any tips/books or can point me to any specific podcasts I would be delighted. (I am trying to make my way through the back catalogue!) Many thanks and have a great weekend. Step One: Action Helps You To Start Finding Your Passion First of all, and this might seem strange coming from a podcaster but you really need to stop reading books and listening to podcasts. Sounds strange? Well to truly start finding your passion you need to stop researching and hoping that someone will give you the answers and start doing stuff. It doesn't have to be huge, or expensive, it just has to be real life. You see reading books and listening to podcasts all the time will keep you trapped in a world of analysis paralysis. You will go round and round in circles thinking that the next podcast or book will be the one that you are looking for in life. Big mistake! Start trying things out, saying yes to things you might have otherwise refused and keep an eye on how they make you feel. Finding your passion has to be something that makes you feel good after all. Step Two: Go Back In Time And Look For Answers It's a truth but when we are young we are full of passions and enthusiasms. You never have to think or Google "How do I start finding your passions" We just know what they are as we spend our time doing the things we love whenever we can. As soon as we get home from school and we've finished our homework we are on them. So what were they? Do you remember like it was yesterday, or has your passion been lost in the midst of time? Well, most people cant think so go back to your parents, siblings, uncles and aunties and ask them what you were like as a child. If you can go back to your childhood home, start snooping around in the attic or your old bedroom. The close to finding your passion are all around you if you only know where to look. Step Three: Start Listing Your Love, Likes And Hates In Life Get yourself a blank piece of paper and draw two lines down the centre so that you have three columns on it. Each of these columns should have a simple title of Love, Like or Hate on it. Then simply create a list of how things mate you feel, do you see themes in the things that you love? Are the majority of the list creative? Do they show that you would like to be outside more or free from bosses and hassles? This is probably the most powerful method of finding your passion that you can ever undertake. It takes time, but the path you are seeking will start to appear in front of you. Step Four - What Are The Things That You Do That Others Give You Praise For? Have you ever noticed the times that people say nice things about you, makes you want to do more of the same stuff? Its not rocket science but we love to be liked and praised in life by other as it feeds our ego. So what can you do that make people rave about you the most? Are you great at cooking amazing deserts and puddings that friends and family beg you to make time and time again? Do you have a creative eye that works well in gardens across the world? Dont ignore peoples kind words, as even though you might think "Oh i can just do that easily" you might just have found your passion. Step Five - Create A Life Purpose Statement What would life and the world be if you could make it perfect? If you could have every person living the life that they wanted, whilst doing the things that they loved? Would you have cars, or no commute? Would you have short working hours, or longer days? Start writing down how you would create your dream world, and then try to summarise that into a clear statement of intent. "Finding Your Passion Would Be Easy As I Would Help Others Live Their Greatest Lives With No Regrets" Can you find your purpose by thinking Big Picture imagery instead of looking within? It might just be the key to start things moving in the direction that you want in life.