Identifying Your Passions and Interests
For the past few weeks, I have been giving my readers the opportunity to actively engage in completing my “Personal Leadership Development Plan“. The plan is based on my coaching model, which I have developed over the last 20 years. It’s also the basis for my course at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. It utilizes my books: Self Aware: A Guide to Success in Work and Life, and the Journal for Self Aware.
I also will be offering a 4 session, two hour monthly workshop from September through December for the people who wish to dive deeper into their professional development. It will be offered in two versions:
- A face to face group seminar in Ann Arbor
- A teleconference version for those who are not able to attend the Ann Arbor workshop
If you are interested please contact, Pasick Consultation and Coaching via email and we will send you the details and reserve you a spot.
Step Two: Identifying Your Passion and Interests
A key to becoming more self-aware is to identify what you are passionate about in life. While this search often is a lifetime pursuit. Many people have difficulty identifying their passion. Some find it later in life.
Here are some key questions that will enable your to discover your passions and interests:
What do you stand for?
- What do you care about deeply?
- Is there a societal problem for which you would like to contribute a solution?
- I always tell myself that anything worth achieving requires facing distinct difficulties, experiencing internal struggle, and facing big risk. For what goal, are you willing to risk everything? For what are you willing to sacrifice or even suffer to achieve?
What excites you?
- Identify your peak moments in life so far. Think of the times when you felt your best, when you felt excited and proud, and when you most felt that time slipped away quickly. When you think of these moments, you are probably recalling moments when your passion was most intense. By discovering what you were doing at those moments, you reveal your passions.
What Drains You?
- Sometimes you can identify your passions and interests through contemplating their opposites: what drains you of energy?
Based on your answers, now fill in the ‘Passion’ section of the worksheet. Here is a downloadable copy of the Pasick Personal Development Plan.