There are things that everyone wants, regardless of age, sex, race, or background. They are things like a comfortable home, security, someone to love, money, and good health. Recently, the biggest Mega Millions jackpot was claimed by at least three people. Thus all of us with the dream of becoming the lastest overnight millionaire fell short by at least a buck. I fell short by $19 or more aptly, another Friday night with Dominos pizza. That’s probablly better for my health anyway since I could stand to lose a few pounds.
And since we’re not among the new American millionaires, your life, like mine is probably largely unchanged aside from an extra pound or two and a couple of more bucks wasted on something we wanted, but probably didn’t need. Yes, I should have probably skipped the McDonald’s McDouble last night, but I love them. I’ll grow some will power tonight, I promise. So as each lottery jackpot continues to evade us, we must continue to search for and find a passion that drives us. Do you know yours? Yes? No? I finally know mine, and it took me about 26 years to revisit it, and put it into action.
When people of all ages tell me that they don’t know what they want to do with their lives, I ask them a 
simple question. What is your passion? Often that question is answered with the proverbial “I don’t know.” My follow up question is then; what would you do for the rest of your life even if you weren’t being paid? When that question is answered specifically and confidently, my advice to that person is to find a way to do that and make money doing it. Of course that is always easier said than done, but the cliche will hold true. When you’re doing something you love, something that you’re passionate about, you’ll never work a day in your life. I found my passion to be writing. It is something that I’ve always done since I was a kid, reading my stories to my brother off of notebook paper before we fell asleep. I’d read to anyone who’d listen and let them read whatever I’d written if they had the time. From September of 2008 to January of 2009, my passion to write culminated into my debut novel, The Virgin Surgeon, published in December of 2011. The wicked thing was that I wrote the first 12 pages back in 2001. That fact shows that passion never dies, but only lies dormant.
So what if you don’t know what you’d do forever without getting paid? What if you really don’t have a passion? How will you determine your purpose in life? My advice is simple. Find it. Yes, yes. It is another easier said than done conundrum, but it can happen. The simplest way is to try to find ways to turn a hobby into a career. Volunteer somewhere or with someone in something that’s always interested you. A passion doesn’t have to be a tangible thing like writing novels, or playing instruments, or making films. It could be something as simple as wanting to help people. You could be anything from a day care center worker to a doctor. Or a mentor to somene who nees some advice and guidance. What I’m almost 100% sure of is that you wont find your passion by not doing anything. So go out and engage the world. If you love to drink, own a distillery, if you love to party, become a promoter, and if Jesus is Lord and all that you love, then there are a dozen churches in your community that would allow you to express your passion for Christ. Whatever it is that drives you will become your passion. You’ll know it when you find it.
Until next write…
Comment and check out my debut novel, The Virgin Surgeon.
