Searching for your path in life? Stop looking for your passion and do this instead!
My dad is an artist. He has been an artist his whole life and although he looked a bit left and right at times, he has always worked as an artist, always created, and always made a living with his skills and passion.I remember that I told him some years ago when I was unhappy in my career, how much I envy him for knowing exactly what he wanted to do with his life and having a path unfolded so unambiguously in front of him. I thought I just needed to find my passion too and things would feel easy. So I kept thinking, analyzing and researching. And this is what I see most of my clients do too when they reach out to me. They´ve done all the exercises, read all the books, done all the online training, and yet, this one passion, this one path in life still has not opened up for them.So if you too are searching your path in life, if you are too wanting to discover your passion, then this is for you! Because maybe things are less complex than you might think!So what´s the thing with finding your path in life?
There are 1.4 billion search results when asking Google “How to find my path in life” and more than 10.000 books on Amazon that talk about this topic. I get it - when you are unhappy in your job you look for alternatives. When your career does not feel right you wonder what the right career could be for you. And you see it everywhere: people living their passion, walking on their path in life, moving forward with the certainty of knowing what their place in the (work) world is. So you want that too!But what if I told you that finding your path in life is less spectacular, less of an epiphany than you might think? What if finding your path in life was actually pretty straightforward?And what if I might even tell you that “finding your path in life” is an illusion? At least for most of us?Here is why!Why finding this one path in life is an illusion
Only 20% of all people have an innate passion!
Did you know that only 20% of all people have an innate passion to follow? The majority of us have different things that interest us, various areas we can imagine pursuing as a career. But you hear it all the time: “Find your passion and follow it” or even worse: “Find your passion and it´s no longer work!”. This creates a tremendous amount of pressure, particularly when your job does feel anything but like a passion and you are doing all the work to find this one thing so you can finally go for it.So let me break the news to you: Yes, some people have this one passion this one path in life (my dad, for example), but for the majority of us, believing and searching for this one thing is a dysfunctional belief. It´s an idea that keeps you stuck and feeling lost.Thought #1: What if I have more than one passion? What if there was more than one path in my life?
Career paths have changed
Not too long ago people committed to one career path and stuck to it for the rest of their lives. This was how it was done, this was expected, and this was possible. But things have changed drastically in the last decade only and they keep on changing. The market, companies, and industries are shifting quickly and continuously, new skill sets are required, the work world has different demands, and so do employees.Of course, there are still many people choosing one career path and working in their chosen field for the rest of their lives happily, but this does not apply to everyone. A streamlined career is just one of many options you have and alternative career paths are becoming more and more common.Thought #2: What if not only the work world changes but I can change too?
You have changed too!
You were probably in your late teens, or early 20es when you decided what career path to choose. And probably, back then things felt right and pretty exciting. And now it´s 10+ years later and nothing feels exciting about your career choice anymore.It´s usually in their 30ies that people start asking the big questions in life: “Who am I (like, really), and what do I want to do with my life?”. So yes, that is a decade after making this initial career choice. And normally, a lot has happened since then. You might have moved, found new friends, started a new relationship, or are single again, maybe you, discovered new interests and hobbies, and probably what you (don´t) like, your values and your needs have changed too. Hence, a lot has changed since you chose your first job, and you too have changed! Of course, this will show up in your work life. You have different priorities now, new interests, a new look at life and work, and you want that this reflects in your career too!Thought #3: If I have changed - what does that mean for my career and life?
Different career paths are possible!
And… it's also quite easy these days to try out different career paths! The job market is more flexible, most of you will have good degrees, some experience under your belt, “flaws” and gaps in your CV are not that dramatic anymore, and there are countless options available just a mouse click away. So why limit yourself to just one path when there is so much to explore out there?!Thought #4: What if there was space to explore, discover, and try out?
Maybe there is more than one path in life indeed - but what can you do now?
You know now that “finding your path in life” adds not only a lot of pressure but is an illusion for most of us. The question is now: what can you do with this information? How can this help you to find a career that aligns with who you are and what you believe in? This is what you can do:Let go of the idea that there is only one path for you
Stop hanging out in your head, and stop searching for this one passion - it won't get you anywhere but will keep you feeling stuck and lost. The idea that there is only one path for you in your life is a dysfunctional belief. So let go of that thought! Because in fact, chances are high that there are many paths for you to be discovered and pursued. Focus on the basics instead and use them as your compass
So if you feel without direction and have no idea what to change to feel better and do work that excites you, then work on your basics. Get clear on your values, make an inventory of what you want and need in your job to feel good, create a vision for your life and think about how your career fits into that. Once you have set this foundation, use it as a compass for further career decisions. Take action!
Things will only change if you start changing things. So start taking action. Move forwad. Tweak little things, learn, adapt, and try again. If you are not sure where to start then have a look at the basics: how can you align your career more with your values? What can you shift so your job offers more of the thing you want and need at work? What steps do you need to take to bring your vision to life? Change things so things can change. Really, it´s that simple.You got this!
And so much more!
LauraHey, I am Laura a certified Designing Your Life Coach, Recruitment professional, Podcaster, and multi-passionate career changer and business owner, I will help you to gain clarity about what you want in life and your career, equip you with the tools you need to create a fulfilling (work) life, and help you to move through challenges along the way. Because this is not only about a job but about what life you want to live!
