Finding Your Passion

thebbqguy · Post by **thebbqguy** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:18 am

They say do what you love and the money will follow.
I have explored a lot of passions through the years trying to discover "the one". But in reality, my passion is trying a lot of things and continuing to learn.
I've been writing a novel for almost 7 years, but I've never really "committed" to it. I keep getting distracted - probably because I know the effort will be not really be worth it in the long run.
I cooked competitively for about 7 years, but stopped when I decided it was more important to save for retirement.
I could go on and on and on and on.
But I realized tonight that I am passionate about everything I've tried. It's been a lot of fun.

Ego · Post by **Ego** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:41 am

Do what you love in such a way that the money becomes irrelevant.

JohnnyH · Post by **JohnnyH** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:03 am

I've always wished I had "thee passion" or life calling... I am envious of, and excited for, anyone who actually has a true calling.

FarmOne · Post by **FarmOne** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 1:52 pm

I can relate to having multiple passions. I think having an inquisitive attitude about life is key to finding interest in different subjects. On the surface, a new experience may seem dull and boring, but as you start getting into it there is always something exciting and new.
In a way, you may not have to know your passion - but stumble upon it, or develop a passion for what you are already doing...
I've recently rekindled a passion for hay. I know, it seems really boring to must of you, but I grew up with it and now I'm growing it and selling it. I love the way it looks, smells, and feels (not crazy about the taste of it!). And it is quite a complicated subject with so much to learn about it.
I get a big grin on my face driving the swather through a thick high yielding stand. I look forward to the challenge of baling and stacking it up high. At the end of each day, I can see the results of my efforts stacking up and it is a very gratifying feeling...

FPMLLC · Post by **FPMLLC** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:13 pm

It's unfortunate but I have no idea...I used to love camping, and being outside. But after entering the working world I just stopped. It makes me sad, but if I had the freedom to wake up and do what ever I wanted all day...I'd have no idea what to do.
My passion for the last 16 months has been to get debt free, aside from mortgage, and I should be there in a few weeks...
I guess I'll have to figure it out.

before45 · Post by **before45** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:31 pm

Unfortunately I've found that monetizing my passions kills them. I loved books so went into publishing, and then I couldn't read for fun anymore. I loved being a lay leader in my congregation so I became a professional clergyperson, and now the stress is horrible.
So, this may not be true for everyone, but a warning for some--subjecting your hobbies to market forces such as sales, deadlines, office politics, etc., may suck the passion right out of the activity.

Rue · Post by **Rue** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 2:42 pm

I have also found that turning a passion into something more like work kills it. One example being I love Freecycle and the system where people give and take for free. I was asked to moderate for my local group and agreed. I was really excited about it but quickly the added responsibility has turned something I love and was very active in giving and asking frequently into a chore that I now avoid rather than engage in unless moderating

tylerrr · Post by **tylerrr** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 3:22 pm

I relate about having multiple passions and being very inquisitive. I'm very interested in a lot of things:
doing visual art work

playing music

writing

bicycling

simplicity

meditation, spiritual seeking

etc. etc.
Sometimes I wish I could be a John Coltrane and practice and instrument 10 hours per day, but I always have to branch out into other things...

BeanHead · Post by **BeanHead** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:33 am

This thread is what prompted me to join and post rather than just keep lurking. I definitely know how you feel with regard to passions. I'm very passionate, but about so many things. My dream job would be a hula-dancing yogi who rescues animals and teaches comprehensive sex ed. I feel very ADD about my life often. It's fun getting excited about pretty much anything, but it can make it hard to focus.

Post by **jacob** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:41 am

I haven't found that work kills passions. In my experience, staying too long doing work that no longer is a passion kills it, for good. The trick is to leave at the peak or shortly thereafter.
In general, my attention span for passions cover about 5-10 years.

Ego · Post by **Ego** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:03 pm

I think there are quite a few people who know what they're passionate about... but it's not cool, or it somehow doesn't fit with their current lifestyle, or it just isn't socially acceptable, or they're surrounded by people who pick away at their passions, or they've somehow lost the ability to be passionate about anything...
This video shows the kind of passion I want to have for the rest of my life. I want to be that passionate and not care one whit what others think about it. I'm not there yet.... but I sure do envy this guy his enthusiasm.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lutNECOZFw

chenda · Post by **chenda** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:25 pm

I didn't discover my passion until I was 28, but I'm not going to monatrize it though. Any money I make will be a bonus.

Seneca · Post by **Seneca** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:17 pm

@ Ego- that is a fantastic vid.
Kind of ironically, the thing that is most likely to cause me to break out like that would be considered uncool by many on this forum, and is fairly difficult to integrate into an ERE lifestyle.

sshawnn · Post by **sshawnn** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:54 pm

and not so ironically we all wonder what "it" is Seneca.

Seneca · Post by **Seneca** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:02 pm

I came back to delete my drama queen bit, but anyway. I like to go fast. This video makes me yell and cuss with glee.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EIij9U_LZw

jennypenny · Post by **jennypenny** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:23 pm

@Seneca--LOL...you are not alone. I prefer the sound of these (and that fact that they get almost 100mpg)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=en ... JUv80&NR=1
@Ego, how am I supposed to bust your chops now after reading that resume??

Seneca · Post by **Seneca** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:34 pm

@jpenny- Been watching the diesel KLR intently, especially as I now have a BLM trailhead literally at the end of my driveway and it would enable some interesting adventures.
While we were in CA we bought a Nissan Leaf (sold since we don't commute now). I didn't care that my racer buddies thought I was a green idiot, and I don't care that the greenies don't like my 190MPH motorcycle. I was/am passionate about both, and each tend to be owned by people that find the other socially unacceptable. I just don't discuss one with the other. Here I'd probably talk about the old Marin cross bike I'm refurbishing to ride to town.

Ego · Post by **Ego** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:33 am

Jenny, bust away. I'll blind you with my newly found enthusiasm. Wack-a!
Seneca, some of the dumbest things I've done in the past have been done so that I appear to others to be 100% consistent. I love that fact that you've got two hobbies/interests where each one would appear inconsistent to the friends who participate in the other... and you don't give a s.

Seneca · Post by **Seneca** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:48 am

@Ego- I'm totally with you. Worrying about others' issues is just a killjoy.
For extra fun we had an AR-15 (as in the rifle, another of my less than always PC passions) sticker on our Leaf. I still laugh thinking about the comments we'd get occasionally.

sshawnn · Post by **sshawnn** » Sat Apr 13, 2013 2:32 am

@Seneca liter bikes were once a passion of mine so I know where you are coming from. I'll try and take a picture of our bathroom wall and the stickers on it. I think you would get a laugh out of it! I think it's a common thread among us to share seemingly inconsistent (abnormal to most) patterns.