Tips

Welcome to Tips from Dr. Dottie
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How to Find Your Passion––and Live It!

author of Award-Winning

Life is an Attitude: How to Grow Forever Better

Years wrinkle the skin,
Living without passion wrinkles the soul.

I’ve found so many people I meet with seem to hunger for purpose and meaning in their lives, to discover their passion. Here are some tips to help.

Seven ways to discover your passion:

1. Set aside some quiet time when you can think and ponder. Look at various periods of your life, maybe decade by decade, then write down times you remember when you loved what you were doing, when you felt competent, when you were doing something that made time fly. Remember things that turned you on, excited you, that you truly cared about. Remember things that delighted, encouraged, intrigued, uplifted you. Something that called to you, suited your abilities, aptitudes, qualities, interests, that drew forth your best energy and effort, that told you you’d arrived home and found yourself.
Next, be a detective. Look for patterns, clues. Discover types of things that can be translated into similar but different endeavors. Find components that can give clues to future passions.

While translating your journal to discover your passion, be creative–get out of the box. Brainstorm (see chapter 25).

2. Pretend you’re a reporter. Write your obituary––for when you die at 99. You’ll discover your TRUE goals. Next, write down what you would like to have written on your gravestone.

3. Very quickly write down 50 things you now love––activities, topics that grab you, anything. Focus just on yourself, not your family. Next go back through periods of your life, from childhood on, and do the same.

4. List subjects that interest you––could be things you like to hear, talk, read, or think about––whatever catches your attention.

5. Write a brief description of someone you admire. Why do you admire him or her? What are their passions? What do they do that you like? What traits or habits of theirs can you adopt for yourself? What’s to stop you?

6. What would you undertake in life if you knew you could not fail?

7. What would you regret not having done—or tried to do—if your life were soon to end?

Some Passion Truisms:

· BE PROACTIVE. Set goals, define them, outline needed steps, then remain flexible and open to better ways of doing it (see chapter 7).

Don’t Hold Back--Go For It! Be assertive, audaciously bold and daring in going after your goal. What do you have to lose? Don’t worry about failure. No one achieves greatly without failing many times.

When you were a baby learning to walk, or a kid learning to ride a bike, you took many-a-tumble. It didn’t kill you. Why stop trying, now that you’re grown up? Learn from each failure––analyze it, be objective about it, grow from it. Treat each failure as a gift, a stepping stone.

Nothing exciting will happen in your quest unless you work like crazy on it. Devote mind, body, soul, passion and commitment. There’s no magic lamp, no quick success. Anything achievement that’s worthwhile, you will have earned. True exhilaration is in the quest, the striving, the earning of the rewards.

You’ll never feel greatly passionate or excel at anything unless you’re willing to put in great effort to become the best you can possibly be at that endeavor. Excellence and integrity are the keys to success. No one who does something half-way can possibly feel the joy—the euphoria—that comes from striving and struggling to achieve excellence. Do your thing magnificently! The better at it you become, the more joy you will feel.

Forget outmoded ideas of age limitations. Like the woman who said she couldn’t go to medical school, because in 8 years when she finished she’d be 52. But how old would she be in 8 years if she didn’t go to medical school? Focus on your goal!

· PRIORITIZE. Put your energy where it counts, where it will lead you the direction you want to go. (See chapter 9)

Don’t overdo time-wasting, brain-draining things like TV (but of course ya gotta be juicy!--see chapter 5). Make your time count. Explore new ideas, new interests, new topics, friends, etc. Grow your brain.

· NEVER STOP LEARNING! The more you learn, the better you become at doing something, and the more you’ll love doing it. Thus the more successful you will become.

Don’t be fenced-in by the “shoulds” of others–family, friends, society. Progress beyond conformity (see chapter 20). Find your own individual path–and follow it. On the way you’ll find others you can relate to, who will help you, who you can help. You’ll know when you find your path. Be undaunted about following it. When finally you’re on your path, you’ll find an amazing power, doors opening for you, things falling into place.

Be yourself--progress beyond conformity. After learning to do it well, do it YOUR way, uniquely. Let your own style shine through. That is where your magic lies.

· GO FOR IT AND GET IT DONE! Completing something gives you an energy boost, a feeling of accomplishment. Procrastinating drains your energy and self-esteem. It’s depressing.

When you’re doing what you love, and doing it well, you’ll sometimes experience getting into the flow–a wonderfully euphoric state.

People with a passion radiate vitality, exuberance. They feel, act, look younger. They’re healthier. They attract others with their energy. Passion is a natural, sustaining high.

· TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT YOUR PRESENT LIFE! Examine with fresh eyes what you’re doing right now. Are you missing potential for passionate interests––right under your nose?

Only one who attempts the absurd, can achieve the impossible.

www.adultgrowth.com dottieb@adultgrowth.com

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Years wrinkle the skin, Living without passion wrinkles the soul.

I’ve found so many people I meet with seem to hunger for purpose and meaning in their lives, to discover their passion. Here are some tips to help.

Years wrinkle the skin,
Living without passion wrinkles the soul.