Staying Hungry: Keeping Goal-Related Passion Alive

We’ve all felt it: that moment when everything comes together, when a task that you are working on just clicks, when you achieve a result that was really tough to reach. In this series, “Staying Hungry: Maintaining Goal-Related Passion,” I’m going to discuss those moments when things seem to click. What are they, what do they mean for your career, and how can you continue to leverage those to achieve personal success?

First, it’s important to understand what your passion actually is, which is what the first installment of this series will touch on. I’m going to address some very common questions and myths related to passions and goals, particularly focused on Millennials, to help each of us tap into what really gets us up in the morning, and how to use that to our best advantage.

Q: What does “passion” really mean?

A: To me, having a passion for something means that said “thing,” whether it be a side project, personal regimen, or everyday activity, creates a feeling of satisfaction, development, and desire for growth. Does your passion have to be extreme? Not at all? Unique? No. All a passion needs to be is something that drives you. Are you a dedicated news reader? Wake up every morning and check Twitter, Flipboard, and your RSS feeds? Maybe your passion is media or breaking news. If something sticks with you and becomes a part of who you are as an individual, it may be a sign that your passion lies within that realm.

Q: Does passion = job?

A: No! For the lucky few Millennials who launch their dream careers early on, their jobs may be their passion. For many, many others, their passion lies in something outside the span of their day-to-day jobs (which, by the way, is totally fine). Is it amazing to have a job that fulfills your passion? Yes. Is this to be expected in the early stages of a Millennial’s career? Not necessarily.

It is wonderful to think that a job outside of your ideal sphere could turn into something that allows you to thrive, grow, and develop a passion. However, working in an environment that does not define your passion is not wasteful. You can take the skills that you learn, leverage those, and turn them into tools that you can use to execute your passion outside of the workplace. Think about it: working in an environment where you can grow your professional skills, while having the desire to maintain your passion outside of that, is the best of both worlds.

Q: What can I do to pursue my passion?

A: The vehicles are endless, which is why we are so lucky as Millennials. We exist in a generation of countless mediums, driven by social media, the digital space, and social conversation. No matter your passion, there is a method for pursuing, sharing, and being successful in that.

In the next installment of this series, I will be discussing specific ways to pursue and maintain passion projects, and both the personal and professional benefits of doing so.

photo credit