19 Jun 11 Ways to Ignite your Passion and Unlock Happiness
I recently stumbled upon this article which for obvious reasons I thought you might like…
In June 2005, Steve Jobs took to the stage at Stanford Stadium to give a speech to Stanford’s graduating class. He addressed a crowd of 23 000, drawing on lessons that he learnt. About halfway through the speech Jobs offered the following wisdom:
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.” – Steve Jobs
He received a standing ovation.
This famous quote from Steve Jobs stirs something deep within most of us. It sparks the idea of happiness, fulfillment, meaning and purpose. We all want to feel happy and enjoy what we are doing. However many of us are tired and exhausted, we no longer know where to look for our true happiness. We seek high and low, only to come full circle and end up where we left off.
The heart of true happiness only begins to beat when you discover something that moves you, frees you, challenges you and gives you a sense of purpose. True happiness lies in taking the time to discover your passion and then pursuing it with an open heart. Discovering your passion is a lifelong journey, one with many twists and turns, it is about slowly rediscovering who you truly are. Here are 11 ways to help ignite passion in your life and get your heart beating back to the rhythm of happiness.
Work for a purpose. When passion and skill work together, the end result is often a masterpiece. Pursue a career that is meaningful to you, not because the paycheck is big. Most of us have to work for a living, why not turn hard work into play. If you cannot find a job that you love – then create one. Yes this can be scary stuff, however success only comes to those who actually try and not to those that just sit and wonder. And if by chance you have set out to start up your own business, but feel like giving up. If it is still in your heart do not give up, for the world is a huge place and it is only a matter of time before you find someone who will love and appreciate your work.
Love what you do. Never underestimate the value in loving what you do. Find meaning and purpose in the most menial of tasks. Find the extraordinary in the ordinary.
Dare to be different. Don’t be like everybody else; break free of all those ideologies, theories and labels, for they don’t serve you well. The world needs to hear your truth, be brave and go speak and live your truth. Daring to live with passion and authenticity is not for the faint hearted – for many people will not understand you.
Don’t get discouraged. Often when we set out to pursue our dreams the road leads us on another path. Never give up, trust that you will be shown the right path that is meant for you. Have faith is the madness, and know that the universe has grander plans for you. Often where we plan to go is not where we end up.
Get back to simplicity. All too often we live our lives in reverse. We work hard to acquire more stuff, to make more money, to get that promotion. We often think that by getting all this stuff we will be able to do more of what we want, we think this stuff will bring us happiness. We are living life backwards; all we really need to do is live more mindfully by doing things that we love.
Make a difference. When you are committed to following your dreams and trying something new, you radiate with positivity and love. People feel your passion, are moved by your passion and are inspired by your passion. Through your strength and authenticity you will inspire other people to go take daring leaps and follow their own dreams…
…keep reading the remaining great tips, and the full article HERE