Louise Thompson
It’s the last-but- one article in our passion series today, I’ll wrap it up for you next week. This week: 21 killer questions to help you find your passion and move towards it.
1 What consistently lights you up? When do you feel most alive?
2 What did you love doing as a kid? What made the hours disappear?
3 What comes easily to you? So easily you don’t even think it’s a talent. Maybe it amazes you that it’s so hard for other people. What’s effortless for you?
4 What would you do if you knew for an absolute fact you would make great money doing it?
5 What would you want to explore if you knew everyone you care about would wholeheartedly approve and think it was a great idea too?
6 What is stopping you following your passion? What’s deep-down really stopping you, not what you say it is, but what it really is. What are you scared of?
7 If your love of what you wanted was bigger than your fear of it, what would you do?
8 What’s the smallest next step you could make in the direction of doing what you love? Think super-teeny-tiny small, but headed in the right way?
9 What will your life look like five years from now if you do start exploring this area?
10 What will your life look like five years from now if you don’t? 11 What do you pretend to like, but honestly can’t stand? 12 Who really inspires you? Why? 13 How much tolerance do you have for risk, discomfort and uncertainty when it comes to following your passion? 14 What are you willing to give up? 15 Are there people around you who are limiting you or undermining you with regard to living your passion? Who are they? What are their objections? Why do they object? (the answer to this might be a lot more to do with them and their stuff, than you and yours).
16 Are there people around you who encourage you to live and move towards your passions? Who are they? How do they support you? Why?
17 Do you have a salary buffer? Have you saved to give yourself some breathing space while you train or transition into a new career? If not, why not? What are you choosing instead?
18 Let’s say you were 18 again. Not only do you have 18-year-old thighs (you’re welcome) but you get to start your career all over again. What would you do? How would you choose differently? 19 What makes you proud? 20 Do you really want to work with your passion, or do you kinda, sorta would like to? How committed are you, really?
21 What’s one step you could make TODAY to move yourself in the right direction? One website to check? Phone call to make? Training course to explore? Conversation to have? Savings account to open? Linked In invite to pursue? Volunteering opportunity to take? What could you do TODAY? The answer to finding or following your passion will have been with you the whole time, it’s just that sometimes we have been asking ourselves the wrong questions, or the same ones over and over. Unlock what’s inside with some new questions, and see what emerges.