Everybody talks about passion these days. But how do you know if you’re truly living it?
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There was a day when I thought having that secure “dream” job would make life perfect. Four years into that job, a staff conflict made me wonder why I even got into that profession. Then a sick feeling in my stomach set in as I started wondering where my life had gone.
For me, it was the day Adam walked into my sixth-grade music.
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Little did I know this disappointing job would eventually send me careening into a new direction, heading straight for a passion that would entirely change my future. What happened to me can happen to you too, and when it does, you’ll look back and see that pivotal moment, where your new direction began.
For me, it was the day Adam walked into my sixth grade music class for the first time. A quiet, apologetic look about him, I soon found out he had both musical talent and smarts. But there was one thing I didn’t know.
There was an ugly, black mark in his life. He was being bullied in the meanest way. Subtle, cruel, consistent reminders every day that he was not accepted and would have to pay for being different.
The sudden realization that he was a victim of bullying hit me right between the eyes. That’s the moment my life changed forever. My passion nerve had been struck like a tomahawk missile nailing its target with pinpoint accuracy. From that moment on, I became an anti-bullying advocate, quit my job, veered into entrepreneurship and never looked back.
If you’re a guy who wonders what your passion is, read on. For most men, it takes time but is well worth it once you find that sweet spot and take action.
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Here are five clear ways you’ll know your passion-seeking missile has hit the mark.
1. On your mind 24/7. Most of us think about all kinds of things throughout the day. Family, work, golfing, buddies, fishing, hobbies and the list goes on. But when you’re on fire with your passion, almost everything else takes a backseat. Your mind constantly shoots back to that topic that has you fired up.
2. Wake up before your alarm. You go to sleep thinking about it, and you wake up thinking about it. In fact, your subconscious is even mulling the topic over while you sleep and wakes you up early, way before your alarm is set to ring. You jump out of bed cause you can’t wait to put into action the latest thing your brain has come up with.
3. Easy and fun. You wonder why doing this is so much fun for you because no one else thinks it’s such a cool way to make a living. Then you shrug it off and just do what makes you feel good. That’s how I felt, singing songs, teaching confidence strategies, and jumping around in a gym in front of six hundred plus kids, back in my first years of bullying prevention assemblies.
4. Everything clicks. There seems to be way more ‘coincidences’ than you ever thought possible. Some greater power is pointing out that you’re doing the right thing. No matter what your spiritual belief is, the universe seems to be giving you boost after boost. I remember saying a lot of times, ‘Gee, God must want me to be doing this work.’
5. Others think you’re a genius. Don’t be surprised if total strangers come to you in awe, asking you questions about where you got your ideas and whether they can ‘help’ you in some way. I soon learned that some of them were searching too, and they thought the best way to success was to copy what I was doing. In most cases, that doesn’t work. Be your person and do what your heart tells you to do.
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Today my life is amazing because I do what I love. I write, speak, coach and create programs to help others, especially those who are struggling. That makes me tick. Allow yourself to discover your passion. You’ll never look back.
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Photo: Flickr/ Mait Jüriado