Passion is a strong, enthusiastic, and personal drive towards an activity, goal, or value that gives you a sense of purpose, joy, or meaning. It is more than a casual hobby or interest and is characterized by a willingness to invest a significant amount of time and energy. Passions can be pursued as a career, hobby, or cause and they often become a central part of your identity.
The characteristics of a passion include:
- Strong enthusiasm: a strong or powerful feeling of excitement and eagerness to pursue an activity or goal.
- Deep personal meaning: the activity or pursuit holds significant personal value.
- Intense engagement: willingness to dedicate time and energy.
- Sense of purpose: gives your life a deeper meaning and a reason to strive for achievement.
- “Flow” state: when immersed in your passion, you can have a flow or state where the time passes quickly.
Passion is different from a hobby. Passion and hobby are both enjoyable but a passion involves a stronger, irresistible driving force that requires profound commitment. In addition to intensity and commitment, a passion has the potential for impact or to change your life since they are deeply connected to your core values and self-identity. Passions can explore your curiosities, experience new activities, or expose you to different people. A passion has the ability energize and excite compared toa hobby. Passion brings contentment and relaxation as well as fulfillment. Finally, a passion requires risk; a passion challenges you to set outside of your comfort zone and the journey of self-discovery requires exploration and courage. Passion that align with your career and life goals and values lead to motivation and satisfaction.
Passions can be creative and artistic, physical or health-related, nature, or social or community-related. Creative and artistic passions include writing, visual arts, performing arts, and crafts or design. Physical or health-related passions include sports, fitness, and healthy living. Gardening, animal care, and nature activities like planting, farming, working in animal shelters, and bird watching or nature hikes are examples of natural and animal-based passions. Social and community passions involve helping others like volunteering at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter as well as social and community advocacy and building relationships with family and friends. Reading and studying a particular subject or learning, solving problems, and self-reflection are intellectual and personal growth passions.
A life purpose is a personal, motivating goal or intention that gives your life direction, meaning, and significance. Your purpose is aligned with your actions with your core values, making an impact and evolving throughout life. A sense of purpose is linked to increased well-being, motivation, and satisfaction, providing a framework to make authentic life decisions.
A life purpose provides direction and guidance, like a compass to guide decisions, goals, and behaviors. A clear purpose can provide motivation and fulfillment which provides energy and resilience to overcome challenges. Having a sense of purpose is connected to improved health and longevity. A purpose is personal and subjective; your purpose is unique to you and can change over time. Purpose involves contributing to something greater than oneself, such as a community or cause. Purpose is a journey not a destination. It is an ongoing process and practice than a fixed achievement.
To explore your purpose, you need to identify your values, or a personal principle or standard that has importance, worth, or usefulness in your life. Values determine what matters to you. Examples of values include compassion, courage, accountability, integrity, respect, or loyalty. Next, to identify your purpose, you need to explore passions, activities or causes that are important to you. Finally, you need to be open to change. You need to revisit and renew your sense of purpose as you navigate life’s transitions and milestones.
If you are preparing for a trip, passion is the fuel you use for your car and purpose is the map to guide you to your destination. Examples of purpose include raising a supportive family or developing deep relationships with others. Another purpose may be volunteering for charitable organizations or acting as a good role model. A career driven purpose may be fulfilling a career goal or building a successful business. A purpose may be prioritizing a healthy, happy life or developing new skills.
To define your purpose, you need to answer the following questions:
- Who are you?
- What is your passion?
- What is your vision?
- How can you serve people?
- Who are those people that you want to serve?
- Why are these people interested in what you are offering?
A vision is defined as the act of power of imagination. It is a mental picture that can be used to direct your actions. Vision serves as a guide and can be used to provide a sense of purpose. Having a vision is important because it will guide decisions when challenges or obstacles arise. A vision allows you to overcome obstacles, set goals and expectations, and provide focus and motivation. Having a vision delivers meaning and purpose; it answers the “why” of life and gives a reason for actions, choices, hopes, and desires. A vision leads to a mission or purpose. The mission is a specific important task, assignment, or objective provided for a person or group to complete; it is the calling or strong sense of duty that a person or group is committed to.
Having a passion and purpose along with values and goals can provide the framework for success because it helps a person or group fulfill a goal or task that is meaningful and has an impact. Successful people who are happy and fulfilled in their lives know their purpose and passion and they strive towards achieving a meaningful goal.
A mission is a statement of purpose that defines what an organization does. A goal is a specific, measurable objective to be achieved, and values are the core principles and beliefs that guide an organization’s behavior and decisions. The mission statement is a concise statement of an organization’s fundamental purpose and what it does. It explains the company’s objectives, how it satisfies customer needs, and how it differentiates itself from others in its industry. The mission provides clarity to customers, employees, and investors about the company’s main priorities and to motivate employees. A goal is a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objective. It is a concrete target that the organization works toward to achieve its mission and vision. The purpose of goals is to set clear targets and provide a clear focus for efforts, making progress trackable. The core principles, beliefs, and ethical standards that guide an organization’s behavior and decision-making are values. They define the company culture and dictate how employees should act in various situations. The purpose of values is to provide a framework for day-to-day actions and ensure that all activities are aligned with the overall mission and vision.
