Passion without direction is pointless
Passion is great. I highly suggest it.
In many areas of your life, passion makes a huge difference between success and failure. It keeps you going while you are developing your skill and applying it. It breaks down barriers to learning because it’s something you really want to grow. Your brain is that much more active and ready to receive new data. It brings a new energy that sometimes acts as a stimulant, a type of “Runner’s High”.
However, like attention can be misdirected, so can passion. If you haven’t come up with a road map to achieve your goal, you’ll have to rely on luck to get there. What’s the first step to getting there?
What’s your passion?
The first step is to define your passion. It could be as simple as improving at the sport you love, or it could read like a business plan. Either way, you need to be clear about what’s driving the bus.
My suggestion is to put it into one sentence. If you can do that, you’re right on track!
How is it positioned?
This is a gauge to determine how much work you’re going to need to reach your goal. Also, is this a new process for you? Losing 10 pounds is something you may have done many times in the past, but what if 75 is really what you want? From where you stand, does that accomplishment look like a speed bump or a mountain?
Like anything else, the bigger it is, the more direction you’ll need. You’ll need to plan it out using more steps and more effort. At the end of each week, you’ll need to evaluate what you’ve done that week and decide on your next steps.
You’ll also need to make time to put your plan into action. How many hours a week are you willing to put into this? Like any new skill, the more time you put into something, chances are you’ll improve at it.
What’s your purpose?
Does your passion align with your core values? Is this out of character? If it’s something that’s “unlike you”, then it may make it a little difficult for your brain to reconcile this new direction in life.
What’s your process?
If you have your direction and steps, are you able to integrate it into your life? Do you have to wake up earlier? What time chunks are you opening on your calendar to work on this? Maybe social media takes a back seat. Maybe less TV time. More than likely, something has to go or at least be cut down to make room for your passion. Some tough decisions need to be made.
At the end of every week, take stock of the events of the week. How did you do? What didn’t you get to? Is there some tweaking of the schedule or other changes that need to be made for the coming week? As you know, life isn’t linear. New information comes in that may change the plan a little. Flexibility is key. As long as you’re committed to the result, you can always zig and zag through your plan as you learn what worked and what didn’t.
Who’s on your team?
If you have a support system with people who will help you along the way, it dramatically improves your chances of success. It could involve being a sounding board, changing their lives some to calibrate with your new life. Using the diet example, it could mean they sacrifice some of their sweet tooth cravings so sugary foods can be removed from the house. It could also mean they eat some of the healthier meals you’re planning to eat. Maybe they can join you for an after dinner walk or run.
What’s the point?
The main ingredient that will determine whether you get there is commitment. Are you fully committed to the process? If you want it bad, results will come. They may come slower than you want, but if you’re committed you can get there eventually.
