ABSOLUTE ASCENDANCY

Commencing operation . . .

Overview

The past few entries have been dedicated to various learning strategies you can use to accelerate your progress. But how do you know what you should spend your time on? It is a question that has plagued many people myself included. Therefore, this article is dedicated to answering that question.

Consider the following six strategies to help you discover your passion.

Discovering Passion

1. Cast a Wide Net
2. Lights, Camera, Action
3. Spot the Trend
4. Sparks Emotion
5. Talk and Teach
6. Other Opinions

1. Cast a Wide Net

A lot of people tend to sit and think about what interests them when, in reality, a better strategy is to get yourself out there, try a wide variety of activities and discover what resonates.

Rare is the individual who intuitively knows what their calling is. For the vast majority, it is only through broad exposure to many different experiences, do indicators for passion arise.

This is why it is good to try and diversify yourself to allow yourself to uncover your passions. Even if down the line you end up specialising, the time spent on those other crafts should not be considered a waste. It was all a necessary preparation to lead you to your chosen specialism.

2. Lights, Camera, Action

The one-liner is to do what excites you.

Note the word ‘do’ and the word ‘excites’. ‘Do’ is equivalent to action. That means you do not sit and think about what excites you, but you take action. The excitement in this instance can be equated to passion. So you should take action and develop skills based on what you are passionate about.

It can be anything. For me, it happens to be the martial arts, piano and certain games, among other things. The point is to take decisive action on what interests you or what you believe is intriguing.

If you think something is worth pursuing, then do so and discover for yourself if your initial perception was on the money.

3. Spot the Trend

Evaluate your current life as it stands. Put it under the microscope and see if you can discover any recurring patterns or themes which crop up. Cross-reference various sources such as the things you purchase and spend your time on, and you may very well uncover some insight into that which lights a fire under you.  

4. Sparks Emotion

Excitement is not the only indicator of passion, although it is a strong one. All emotions are related, so consider what you are afraid of, as it can often be an indicator that there lies a vested interest.

Perhaps you secretly like poetry but are afraid people will judge you for being ‘girly’ or ‘soft’ if you pursue it. Whatever it is, fear can be a good indicator of passion as can other emotions, so do not rely solely on excitement when trying to uncover your passions.

5. Talk and Teach

What do you often find yourself talking about? The knowledge you share and pass on to others is a strong indicator of your interests and passions. Let me give you an anecdotal example for this one.

One time, I was having a chat with a friend, and he is a big fan of miniature models, primarily for gaming.

Think Warhammer and the like.

Anyway, he owns a 3D printer, and he started talking to me in great depth about the printing process and all of the intricate details involved.

Hot damn is this guy passionate about miniatures!

Anyone listening would have picked up on the astounding amounts of enthusiasm generated through the converse of a passionate topic.

6. Other Opinions

If you are unsure of where your passions lie, sometimes a close friend or relative, who observes you from a different perspective, can shed some light. There is research to claim that other people know you better than yourself, as people tend to unintentionally deceive themselves, when it comes to self-analysis.  

Taking the anecdotal example above, let’s assume that my friend was not aware of his passion for miniature models. If he asked me to evaluate where his interests are, I would respond with the obvious answer and provide relevant evidence. The conversations we have shared in the past, as well as physical evidence – the amount of miniatures he owns.

Conclusion

It would be best if you focused your voluntary learning on topics which grab your interest – which you are passionate about. Obviously, we all have compulsory learning of some nature that we need to do to maintain our lives.

In your free time, however, find what ignites your soul and master it! 

Mission complete – Overlord Drakow signing out.