Why You Should Follow Your Passion (and Why Passion is Important)

Introduction

In our society, there is a lot of pressure to do what we are "supposed" to do. We are told that we should go to school, get a job, buy a house, and start a family. The world puts a lot of value in your career success and monetary gain as well... There's a lot of pressure on us from what other people think success means.

But what if you don't want to do all of that and/or in that order? What if you want to follow your passion and do something completely different?

Pursuing your passion can be scary, but it is worth the risk. When you follow your passion, you are doing what makes you happy. You are living life on your own terms.

And isn't that joy the ultimate goal?

Why do People Say to Not Follow Your Passion?

There are a lot of people who will tell you not to follow your passion. They might say things like "What if you can't make money doing what you love?" or "You need to have a backup plan." They might even say that pursuing passion is the worst career advice you can give.

But here's the thing: following your passion doesn't always mean turning it into a business or finding a dream job. It could simply be you putting a lot of time and effort into a hobby you love.

One passion might be woodworking, sports, crafting, reading, writing, photography, bird watching, or anything else. You don't necessarily turn it into a money-making machine (though you might one day). Your life's passion doesn't need to (or may not ever) become your future career.

But, it's still great advice to follow your passion due to the benefits that passions can give you. Some research even shows that spending time with your passions outside of your "day job" may be more beneficial to your own personal happiness.

The Benefits of Pursuing Your Passion

It Makes You Happy

There are many personal benefits when you follow your passion.

First and foremost, following your passion makes you happy. It gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. When you are doing something that you love, it doesn't feel like work.

You will also be more productive because you will have the motivation to get out of bed in the morning. While most people are stuck "getting a job" to "pay the bills", you can pursue what matters in your life and achieve true joy.

Improve Your Mental Health

Pursuing your passion can also improve your mental health. When you are doing something that you love, it gives you a sense of control over your life. You aren't stuck in a job that you hate or living someone else's dream. You are living your own reality and following your own path. This can reduce stress and help you to live a happier life.

Yes, you still have to realize that being passionate about bird watching won't pay the bills your entire life. You will still need to find a way to support your desired lifestyle. But, when you pursue your passion outside of work, research shows that your enthusiasm at work and job performance increase.

Increase Your Success

Following your passion can also make you more successful. When you follow your passion, it is easier for other people to follow what you are doing because they see the sincerity in your work. And when people follow what you are doing, people tend to support you which means that if your passion is a business, then they will spend money on it!

But keep this advice in mind, your true passion or true meaning doesn't always have to become a job or source of income... as that may take away the original happiness you had from that one passion.

Inspire Others

Last but not least, following your passion makes the world better by setting the example for others to follow their own passions as well. When we all do things that we love and share them with each other (even through social media posts), it can create a positive chain reaction of happiness around the world!

Who knows? Maybe someone with the same interest will see your great work on something you've shared and want to join you or help fuel more ideas of what you can do!

How do I Find My Passion?

Where to Begin

Figuring out your passion can be tough, but it is definitely worth the effort. Here are a few tips to help you find your passion:

• Look back on your life and think about things that made you happy

• What do you love to do for fun?

• What are you good at?

• Ask your family and friends what they think your passion might be (you could be surprised)

What if I Really Don't Have a Passion

This is going to be the fun part! If you really don't have a passion, then it is time to try something new. Find an activity that you've always wanted to do and give it a try. You might find that you love it! Or, you could take some classes to help you figure out what your passion might be.

The bottom line is that you should never end your search there. As it was mentioned above, having a passion is the very thing that can boost your mental health. Yes, you are going to have to put yourself out there and get out of your comfort zone. But it will be worth it!

Here are a few places to look for inspiration:

• Meetup.com: Look for groups that seem new and interesting

• Look for a Facebook group for your local community to see if there is anything new going on

• Look up your local community calendar for events and group activities that are coming up

• Check out the local recreation center calendar for activities to try

• Ask yourself... "What is my area known for?" and try out an activity you haven't done before

At the end of the day, you may even find yourself having more than one single passion and be making new friends at the same time!

Do keep in mind that you may not be interested in every idea that comes your way. Be patient as you wait and continue to try new things. Find ways to develop new skills to help you along your journey and you will eventually succeed in finding something you love.

What to Do Next

Once you have found your passion, follow it! You might not know where it will lead but that is part of the excitement. Start by doing something small each day to follow your dream.

This could be as simple as reading a book or taking an online class on a topic related to what you want to do with your life. The important thing is that you start and follow through because even if nothing else happens, at least you tried which in itself should feel good enough for now.

When someone says "follow your dreams" don't think about how scary or impossible those words sound, instead try saying "yes" and giving it a shot!

Why Is Passion Important?

Those that Follow Their Passion

Passion is important for a number of reasons, but one of the most important is that it can help improve and maintain good mental health. When we are passionate about something, our minds become consumed with positive thoughts which in turn make us happier people. We also tend to be more productive when working on things we love as opposed to those mundane tasks that seem to drag on forever.

For example, if travel is one passion of yours, think back to how a specific trip made you feel and how long that lasted. You can take the happiness you felt and it will flow into the rest of your daily life.

Not only does passion lead to happiness and productivity, but it can also help steer our lives in the right direction. For example, if you are passionate about cooking then you might decide to open your own restaurant someday. On the other hand, if you love dogs then you may want to become a veterinarian or dog groomer. The possibilities are endless!

Those that Don't Follow Their Passion

Most people follow their dreams and passions because it makes them happy doing something they love, but what about those who don't follow their passion? They're likely not as happy with where they are in life.

Following your dreams can be scary at first, but there is no better time than now to pursue them! The worst thing that could happen is you find out this isn't right for you - which means now would be the perfect opportunity to start looking again until something sticks.

Starting Over with a New Passion

If you do decide that following your dream or passion isn't affecting you in a positive way then that's okay too! You may have just discovered new interests along the way and need some time away from what started all of this adventure in order to get back on track again.

This process can take a long time and will be different for everyone, but follow your gut feeling here because if it doesn't feel right then don't force yourself into anything else either. It's important not to give up even when things aren't going well so keep trying until you're happy with where your life is headed next!

Remember, it's also ok to take a break from something you are passionate about, focus on something else for a while, and then give it another try.

How My Passions Have Affected Me

The Importance of Following My Dreams and Passions in Life

If you've been following this blog (or me) for any amount of time, then I'm sure that by now it's clear how much importance I place on finding what makes someone truly happy in their life.

At times in my own life, I've felt lost, tired, or completely spent. At some times in my life, it's like I totally forget about what makes me happy. After a while I realize that I haven't gone to the gym, played hockey, gone out in nature, or taken photos in a long time... At those moments I finally decide to get out and do one of those passions.

When I do, I start to feel myself come alive and re-energize once again. Ready to put some hard work into all other aspects of my life and get back on course.

Conclusion

No one said that following your dreams and passions would be easy, but it's definitely worth it! Pursuing what makes you happy is the key to a fulfilling life.

Not only will you enjoy yourself more, but you'll also be more productive and happier overall. So follow your heart (and mind), and go after what you love! It may take some time and effort, but the end result is definitely worth it.

What are your thoughts on passion? Have you ever followed or not followed your dreams?

I'd love to hear from you in the comments below! :)

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Author: Andrew McFarlane

Andrew McFarlane is a full-time dad and a parenting blogger. He shares advice for new parents, experienced parents, and any parent in-between at PapaPerspective.com. He does this through positive parenting methods, the best parenting gear, and lots of laughter. When he's not blogging about the best parenting practices, he'll be out taking photos, playing hockey, or spending time with his wife and 2 boys.