5 Tools and Techniques to Help You Find Your Passion

Trying to figure out what you’re passionate about can feel like a daunting task. But it doesn’t have to be! There are a number of tools and techniques that can help you zero in on what brings you joy, satisfaction, and a sense of purpose. Keep reading to learn about five of them.

1. Brainstorming
One of the simplest but most effective ways to uncover your passions is to brainstorm a list of things that make you happy, fulfilled, or excited. This could include activities, subjects, causes, or anything else that comes to mind. Once you have your list, take a close look at it and see if any patterns emerge. Are there any common themes? Any repeating words or phrases? This can give you some clues as to what your passions might be.

2. Dream boarding
If you’re having trouble getting your brainstorming session off the ground, dream boarding may be a helpful exercise for you. To do this, find some images that represent your ideal life—they could be pictures of places you want to visit, things you want to own, career goals you want to achieve, etc. Once you have your collection of images, create a collage or Mood Board with them to help visualize your perfect life. This exercise can help jumpstart your brainstorming by giving you something concrete to focus on.

3. Personality tests
Personality tests can be a fun way to learn more about yourself and what makes you tick. And they just might help you uncover your passions as well! One popular personality test is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This test assigns everyone one of 16 personality types based on four different preferences: extraversion vs. introversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, and judging vs. perceiving. After taking the MBTI (or another personality test), look at your results and see if they give you any insights into what sort of passions might suit you best.

4. Journaling
Another tool that can be helpful in discovering your passions is journaling—specifically, free writing or stream-of-consciousness writing. To do this, set a timer for 5-10 minutes and simply write without stopping until the timer goes off. The point is not to worry about grammar, spelling, or sentence structure—just let the words flow out onto the paper (or screen). Afterward, read over what you’ve written and see if any themes or ideas stand out to you as potential passions worth exploring further.

5. Talking to others
Last but not least, don’t forget that talking to others can also be helpful in finding your passion! Talk to friends and family members about their passions and see if anything they say sparks an idea for you. You can also reach out to people who are doing things that interest you and ask them questions about their work/life/hobbies/etc.—you never know when someone’s story will inspire you to follow in their footsteps (or blaze your own trail!).

There’s no “right” way to find your passion—it’s different for everyone! But hopefully these five tools and techniques will help get you started on the path toward discovery. Trust your gut—when something feels right or exciting to you, it’s probably worth exploring further! The most important thing is not to give up—your passion is out there somewhere waiting for you to find it!