How do you find what you're passionate about?

Hi Emma,

This is a fantastic question! One that many of us are still trying to figure out in our adult lives. That isn't meant to be a deterrent either. All it is just a reminder that there are limitless opportunities out

there for you.

The most important thing, I believe, is to have FUN trying to figure out what those are.

Me personally...I love talking to people about how to empower themselves and find their voice. I love encouraging people, who seek out my advice, to be the very best version of themselves. This starts with discovering who they are and what makes them most joyful. This is the main reason why I finally decided to become a life coach.

Animals are another passion of mine. I have volunteered at a few local pet adoption centers because I just felt there was something I needed to do to help in that area. And no, I do not enjoy cleaning out "messy" cages. Ha-ha... but I do feel very strongly that the animals in adoption centers deserve to be in a clean environment while they await adoption. So cleaning out cages for me meant the animals would be healthier, less people would turn away if they felt good about what they saw and weren't distracted by messy / unsanitary living conditions. And boy…did it feel good to come back for my shift to find one more pet went to their forever home.

So you see, it doesn't have to be one thing. It could be one or many things. Just don't get discouraged if you discover something you thought was your passion, didn't turn out to be. There's so much to do out there. Also, it’s good to keep in mind that your passion doesn't have to be what you do for a living either; like my volunteering. Just make sure that whatever you do, have fun living your best life!

This is a great question. I wondered this even after I graduated from college. You just have to step out in faith and try things. I liked talking to people and felt I had good communication skills. I tried Sales. After a couple of years, it was not for me. I wondered again what to do. A college friend helped me to get an interview for an entry level job at NASA in Purchasing. That was interesting and I got promoted to a Contract Administrator. I decided to go to graduate school while I did that, but I really was not passionate about what I was doing. While I was there for 5 years, the last year and a half, I was offered the opportunity to move to Hawaii and work on a project on the Big Island. Everyone on the project was from NASA and the University of California. I would do both purchasing and contract administration. I was on a more remote part of the island, but there was a golf course and I rented an apartment on the course. I was passionate about sports when I was younger. A golf membership was very inexpensive and I decided to take up golf. I not only was super passionate about it, but I read everything, and hung around employees in the pro shop and watched them repair clubs in the back room. I thought I just had to find a way into the golf business. But, I was not real good at it at the time.

I moved back to the mainland and quit my job and moved to Arizona and had a little money to hold me over for a few months while I tried to figure out how to turn my passion into a job.

I thought I would just try something, so I signed up to learn about club repair and how to build custom clubs. I took a class and an exam to become a Certified Class A Clubmaker by the Professional Clubmaker's Society. Then I offered to regrip clubs and reshaft clubs for friends. Then I took lessons from golf professionals and then I offered my services to them. I was exposed to so many different clubs that I could tell you the make and model and year of just about any name brand club. Because I could identify clubs, I started to watch what clubs were selling for online and I compared that to what used clubs were selling for in golf shops. If I found an undervalued club in a shop, then I would buy it and sell it online. Then the shop owners and I became aquatinted and I asked if they could give me a discount if I bought many used name brand clubs. Every one of them was interested in this. I travelled all throughout the state and even all over Southern California introducing myself to shop owners, collectors, pro shops, or anyone else that had clubs. I ended up renting a warehouse with two offices and people could bring clubs in. That was one of the most enjoyable things I ever did and I got to play golf every week. So, I did it and turned a passion into a business. But, over time margins became tighter and it was becoming more difficult to sustain. While I was an still am passionate about golf, another opportunity came up through a college friend. They needed someone to open an office and recruit engineers in Arizona. While I would need to step away and sell the assets in the business, this would allow me to make more and would provide more of a future. Would it be just another office job? Would I find any passion in it? I had to take a step of faith. I tried it. I had to learn as I was doing it. I had access to ask questions of recruiters in other cities. That is how I learned. The company won some contracts in my area and that and my work calling on companies resulted in success. Success is fun. I was not only recruiting and looking through resumes, but I was also using my early sales skills and calling on companies to see if they would use my recruiting services. That is called Full-Desk recruiting with an staffing agency. After a while, and with my understanding of business, I decided to set out on my own. Why not just call on companies and search for candidates and get all of the fees paid. So, I did that for years. That gave me freedom. I could play golf too and take customers out on the course. Sometimes companies would call me and ask if I was interested in just being a short term recruiter for them and they would pay me hourly. I took on contracts and did that. One of those very short term contracts was with a small startup in the Silicon Valley. I could work remote from Arizona. They were all very nice and they were building some really cool things. They kept extending my contract and eventually asked if I would like to join them full-time. I said I would love to if I could work from Arizona. We grew and grew and there was just a lot of success and excitement and several years later it is still the same way. I found ANOTHER passion. I love what I do and who I work with. I love getting up and starting work every day.

In conclusion, you can find more than one passions. But, from my experience, to find that passion you just have to take a step and try things. You will find some dead-ends. You will think at times that you have run out of ideas. You will experience failure. However, if you keep on getting up when you are knocked down and persist, you will find some wonderful experiences and success.

The best answer I have to this is to focus on what you are good at or have a talent for, but if there is something you dream about everyday and feel is not possible, know it is! Dreams happen with determination and dedication. Set goals and fulfill them, with a timeline, and most importantly never give up.

Great question! Keep an open mind and expand your interests.

Hi Emma,

When I think about passion, I think about what I would do no matter what. To break it down further, there will be a lot of challenges that you will face in your journey to finding what your passionate about. Along the journey, those challenges will do one of two things; They will either stop you or make you stronger. As you get stronger, you will become more determined in the area that interest you the most. This is the area that you need to focus on because it will be the area that you will become passionate about because you will do it, no matter what. Even to the point where you will do it for free. I am not saying to do it for free, know your worth, but also when you are passionate about it, it becomes less of a job. It is bigger than that, it is about making a difference and discovering what you were put on this earth to do! Hope this helps.

Hi Emma! I definitely took a while to find my passion. Honestly, it happened when I least expected it. I figured out that my passion was what was keeping me up at night. It wasn't just a dream, but more like, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Leadership is my passion, and I know that it is true because I love people. I love seeing them succeed and develop into their careers. It makes me feel incredible to see others do well! You will find your passion, and it is ok if it doesn't come to you right away. :) I hope this helps!

This is a great question. Sometimes you just have to jump in feet first. Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you realize it’s not making you truly happy look for a new career or opportunity. You may make new friends along the way that may lead you to a career you love.