How Do I Find My Purpose?

[Andy Black]

I always give the metaphor of trying to figure out your favorite dessert

If I handed you a 100 desserts, how would you know which one was the best one for you?

You wouldn't just look at them

You would grab a bite or two and see how they "taste"

Then you would separate what you like from what you hate
and then chose from the small group of desserts you like that
you will choose to eat frequently

So any ideas you have, I would suggest you go out there and
try them out to get a "taste" to see if you'd really like it

Pick a potential passion and do that one thing for 8 hours a day
and see how you feel after a week of doing it...if you still like
it then continue

If you don't feel like doing it anymore - quit and try some other
passion

That's how I did it, I tried everything from being a DJ to being
a clothing designer

Nice analogy.

I think this post is related:
www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/finding-your-focus.62137

 

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[Imgal]

What you focus on expands... Being passionate abt something isn't like choosing a niche for me

People start by finding their passion or calling first. While this is the conventional way, I think otherwise.

First, find who you are, your personality, likes, dislikes - your identity.

I like being adventurous. So I know my passion lies within mysterious, adventurous and puzzling stuffs...

I wouldn't focus on golf. I don't find it adventurous. I could fall with love scuba diving before the week ends...

focus on one thing that fits your identity, if it's it, you'd know. If it isn't, you'd know.

I can so connect with @Tobore - not just loving the theory, but also I'm exactly the same as you. I do believe at the end of the day that you can passionate about the process of solving any need, but this is really the secret sauce in helping you level up. It's part of why I love the troubleshooting / consulting business. There's nothing that gives me a bigger buzz than being faced with a problem and having to solve. I've built businesses focusing on very generic, bland products / services and while done well I've struggled with staying motivated to do so. On the other hand, working as an athletic coach, sports therapist, consultant and coach on and off over the years have all had been like a drug to me!

 

[Rachel Akito]

I think the answer to your question is pretty much obvious. Would you spend the rest of your life doing something that you find dull? How would you progress if every night you ask yourself "is what you are doing is really for you?" Remember that we can fail doing the things we don't want to do so why not risk on something that you're actually passionate about.

 

[Ostap Bender]

Well, don't want to kill your motivation right in the beginning, but maybe you didn't get the relation right (because it's also very often falsely transmitted to the broad population) : passion leads to success or does success creates passion ?
I think the second is far more precise, but if my argumentation didn't convince you i will let Scott Adams do the job :
http://blog.dilbert.com/post/102965026826/goals-are-for-losers-passion-is-bull
Also, huge recommendation for his book, which explains you this and further useful stuff, which improves your odds of being super-successful

 

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[Delmania]

Story time!

We all know Steve Jobs. His transformation of Apple with the launch of the iPod, iPhone, iMac, and MacBooks is well charted.

At college, Steve studied Western history, dance, Eastern mysticism. Eventually, he got a job at Atari, but left to journey through India and train at a Zen center. If you knew him at the time, you probably wouldn't imagine him as the CEO of a major computer firm.

Most people credit his 2005 speech at Stanford with the start of the "follow your passion" movement (there were people saying this before him, like What Color Is Your Parachute?). What he actually said in that speech was "love what you do" not "do what you love". Steve wasn't passionate about computers, but he did find something that interested him and, more importantly, people would buy. Was he passionate about running a business then? Hell no, his first venture with Woz involved selling about 100 computers and making $1000. We know the result of that.

The book I pulled this from is "So Good The Can't Ignore You", and it's one I highly recommend. The basic argument is focusing on building your skills and not following your passion. In the case of TMF , @MJ DeMarco pretty much says to start an online business. There are numerous resources for finding ideas, and even more on how to start your own business online. Find an idea that interests you, and build a business around that. The goal is get really good at spinning up sites and products.

 

[Mattie]

Should I try to find something I'm passionate about doing?
or do something I don't really enjoy in order to do something I'm passionate about?

I've heard this most of my life. Find your purpose. You can sign up for just about anything and call it your purpose. Your purpose will constantly change with your beliefs, beliefs always change. Life is a journey of what ever you decide and want to apply yourself too. If you don't find it enjoyable, you gravitate towards something else.

And really bottom line, if you're hearts not in it 100%, it doesn't matter what you make your purpose out to be, if you don't make a commitment to it, be devoted to it, and dedicate yourself to the long process. There are some people that change jobs and fields a million times because they thought they'd like it, and they left it.

Perhaps it's deciding on one thing, and becoming a master at it. And fortunately, no one can paint out by number what your purpose is, what your passion should be, and what will make you a success. That's something you have to see out yourself and discover. If you don't know thyself, you're talents, gifts, weaknesses, and strengths, no one can help you achieve the dream.