Photo by George Pagan III on Unsplash

Do you feel like you have a bigger calling in life? A mission to accomplish on this planet? You know you are up to the challenge and willing to put in the effort, but there is one problem – No Passion! There are times when we feel the need to do something beyond the obvious and allow our actions to create a meaningful impact on the world at large. Hence, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide that will help you know what you should do when you are too ambitious but have no passion.

Are you sure you really have no passion?

A lot of people assume they have no passion when in reality they do. We often have blue-sky ideas about our life purpose but when reality looks nothing like the way it should, we assume we don’t have the passion to follow it through. So, before you assume that you have no passion, try to assess if you are falling into this trap.

When you feel a compelling desire for something is when you are truly passionate. This means that your passion or life purpose is something that you are incomprehensibly drawn to.  Regardless of your direction in life, this thing tends to remain constant, always functioning in your subconscious mind and you often feel like a homecoming when you associate with it time and again. Artists, musicians, writers, painters often channel their passions in a creative form.

With time you will experience that your passion won’t necessarily be a glamorous one or something that you excel at or something you can turn into a full time business – So the trick is to keep an open mind when exploring your passions.

So, step away from the noise around you and in a quiet corner, take a pause and ask yourself – “What is it that I value the most and often feels like a homecoming?”

You may have a lot of interests, but no particular passion

For some, the feeling of lacking passion comes from having multiple interests but no particular affiliation to any of them. Afterall, how can you pick between several things you like but don’t really love?

If this is true then you may try two tactics below.

Firstly, take a powerful preliminary step towards identifying what matters to you the most. Once you’ve nailed this, give it your all to this activity regardless of the many other interests around you.

However, if you are someone who struggles to stick to something for the long haul, then you may consider the multipotentiality of your nature as a strength and embrace it with an open heart. You may need to allocate equal amount of time and energy to the multiple interests you have so that you feel reasonably satisfied at the end of the day.  

What if you have no passion at all and barely a few interests?

Is it possible to have no passion at all? I don’t think so!

But, I do realise that for some people, the obligations of life circumstances have put them out of touch with their inherent needs and inner calling. Life eventually becomes a tale of regrets and disappointments when they realise they were too busy fulfilling obligations when it could have been spent reaching milestones.

If this applies to you, then make it a point to step back and reconnect with yourself. If you are satisfied with the flow of your life, then congratulations! But if you are not, then try to write down all your feelings on paper and see what you’d like to accomplish.

Your next steps will become crystal clear.

Also, there is wisdom in understanding that there is no perfect life or a perfect career. This just doesn’t work. Each day you are given a canvas, a paintbrush, and a choice to create a masterpiece with the tools you have around you. If you simply feel that your next role will be the best, you will end up making choices that you later regret. Once the novelty washes away, the feeling of being in the same place, unfulfilled and unsatisfied will return. The only way to achieve clarity in life is to turn inwards and look for answers.

Photo by Randalyn Hill on Unsplash

Based on what you just read, how would you reconnect with yourself? I’d love to know.

I am always interested to hear from people about their life plans and choices. So, hit me up at [email protected]. or let’s connect on LinkedIn.

Author(s)

  • Hithakshi Kotyan

    Author | People Development Specialist | Harvard Member | Positive Psychology Coach

    Hithakshi is an Author and Senior Learning Specialist with Priceline Technology, India. She has worked and consulted global organisations to drive personal and workplace excellence. The underlying themes of her programs are rooted in the areas of Career Pivots, Self-Leadership, Personal Productivity, and Well-being. She is the author of "The Future of Work In An Evolving Economy", a Member of Leaders Excellence at Harvard Square and Business Intelligence Board Member at the Chief Learning Officer Publication. Hithakshi is a Certified Instructional Designer, a Positive Psychology Coach, and a Behavioural Interpreter.