Labor is a Gift.
How to Find Your Passion so That “Work” Becomes a Joy and a Pleasure.
Given that it is Labor Day weekend, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on the nature of work and the blessing it can be in life.
“To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy”. –Bette Davis
You’ve probably heard me say many times before that I don’t believe in get rich quick schemes or magic bullets that equate overnight success- I believe in hard work. I know for a fact that any real estate investor, any entrepreneur in any business for that matter, who is willing to show up, roll up their sleeves, get down to business and do the work, can’t help but succeed.
What I probably don’t speak about often enough is how fun it is; how fun it SHOULD be if you’re on the path you need to be on.
Success isn’t about the destination; it’s about the journey. To start the journey, you have got to first find your passion. Find what you love to do. That way, you get to wake up every morning, look forward to, and be grateful for the work ahead because it is FUN.
So how do you find your passion? Here are a few ways to help you discover, and get started doing, what you love.
Go back in time…
Revisit your childhood and think about the activities that made you feel happy or that you enjoyed doing. Was it llegos? Reading a book? Horseback riding? Did you love monopoly? How about playing “house” or building a tree fort? Did you prefer to be outdoors or in? When you do some thoughtful journaling about the things you loved doing as a kid, it often can trigger a reconnection with your authentic self. Creativity expert, business consultant and speaker Rob Levit says, “it’s amazing how disconnected we become to the things that brought us the most joy in favor of what’s practical.”
Make a list…
Write down a list of people whose successes in life you admire or wish to emulate. Read their books, blogs and articles, watch their webinars and listen to their podcasts; reach out to them and say hello if the person in question is not a public figure. Surround yourself with people who are doing what you would like to do either virtually by joining an online forum or group, or in person by joining a local class or club. Learn from the best and associate yourself with others who are passionate about the same things that you are. In doing these things, you will get inspiration and education at the same time.
The time is now…
Just get started doing what you love, no matter how prepared you think you are or aren’t. If you keep making excuses about not having the right education, not having enough money, not having enough time or not having the right connections, you will never get on that path to success. You have the power to act now. Even if you don’t have much money, you can find plenty of free information and resources online to get started doing SOMETHING; podcasts are available on just about every subject under the sun and if time is your excuse, you can throw that out the window and listen to them while you get ready, eat a meal, drive to work, work out at the gym or instead of watching TV.
