I answered the phone the other day and the gentleman on the other end of the line stated that he wanted to start a business. I responded “Okay what type of business are you interested in?” His response was “the one that sells the most to the Federal Government”. I have heard that response before. In reality, he did not know what type of business he wanted, he just wanted to sell to the world’s largest purchaser of products and services. I then proceeded to tell the man that he needed to find something that he was passionate about doing before he decided to go into business.
PASSION
When one is passionate about their business they have the drive to work on their business day in and day out. They are driven to put the time and effort into something and no longer think of it as work. They are eager to get up in the morning and invest more time on their business. In other words, they are excited to get to work and it is all that they can think about.
Many small business owners started their businesses because they were tired of working in a 9 to 5 job that they hated. How many of you cannot wait for Friday evening and dread Monday mornings? How many hate to go to work and feel trapped like there is no way out? Staying in your current job is not going to make you any happier but it will stop you from reaching your full potential.
Imagine that you get up early and jump out of bed ready to go to work. You are so lost in your work that you lose track of time. Work is no longer work but something that you love to do. This is what passion is.
Steps to finding Your Passion
1. Start With An Open Mind
The first step is to open your mind to all possibilities. At this stage nothing is off limits. You need to believe that you can do this and find something(s) that you are passionate about. One way to do this is to surround yourself with people who are living their passions. If you friends and family are not living their dreams then it is time to expand your circle of friends. Look and find people that are living their dreams and be inspired by them.
2. Examine Your Life and Find Peak Moments
Review your life and search for things that you love to do. Try to think if money was not an object what would I spend my days wanting to do. Make a listing of those things that we will examine in the near future. I remember reading a great article about a woman who has going through these same steps. The woman loves to scuba drive but was frustrated with trying to find vacations around the subject. She realized that she cannot be the only one that is having these difficulties so she started a business to fill the void.
3. Don’t Make It About Money
The purpose of finding your passion is to start a business but it is not about the money that can be generated. It’s about doing something that you love. Money is secondary to the goal. If you make the selection process about money you will limit the options available to you.
4. Don’t Set An Artificial Goal
You are the only one that can set your professional ceiling. Don’t sell yourself short. You are the only one that can determine where you will go. Most of the people that I deal with tend to sell themselves short. If you want more growth then you need to empower yourself!
5. Gather Your List and Check It Twice
Now take your list and look for similar items. What items can be put together? Is there a problem that needs to be solved?
Remember that the world needs your passion. So don’t waste another minute sit down now and find your passion. Your passions will always guide you right so take the chance and let’s get started now!