How to Do What You Love to Do?
Dear Friends,
Welcome to Anbusivam’s Blog Page.
One of my earlier articles in October 2007, was on “Doing What We Love Vs Loving What We Do”. Last evening I just remembered this post and was looking back at what I’ve written then, almost 3 years ago.
Indeed the same page I’ve mentioned is still present in my journal with dog’s ears now, I don’t know how many thousand times I have read this again and again and again….
It goes like this:
“Siva, you are here to do what you love to do, don’t ever settle for anything less than doing what you really love.”
These words kept me moving ahead in life all these years, towards what I love. At this juncture of my life, I am very happy that I’ve come close to what I love and very excited that I am going to start my journey in The Road Less Traveled.
I’ve heard motivational gurus saying “Come on, just go ahead and do what you love. If you do it the best, it will automatically pay you great results”. But unfortunately the reality to me was not that simple. I had my own commitments in life, need to build a house at my native town, my sister’s wedding, my aging parents to take care, my wife’s expectations, social compulsions and so on. It was not really easy to just jump out and start doing what I love simply because I love. It took very long and careful planning, considering all the problems and constraints around in life. I took one step at a time slowly and steadily towards my goal. Now I see, the present situation in my life is a one big step I am taking with all the learning’s I had from all the previous small steps I had come across in life.
Here are some tips from my own life experience on how to get towards what you love?
1. Find your passion:
Do a thorough self analysis to identify all about your great love in life. Just think about “what you are greatly passionate about?” , “what you are keenly interested in?” , “what you would love to do for the rest of your life with fullest potential and abundant happiness?”, “what you would think about, talk about and diligently do for hours together?”
2. Find your finances:
Ultimately your finances is what this world looks for to determine your success? If you have that big car, luxury home, big bank balance etc. then you are considered to be a very successful person in this society irrespective of how happy you are in life. Think about the real happiness that you are going to get from doing what you love to do. But also don’t forget that, this world runs on economics and money is an essential commodity to live here.
It’s really worth spending time to understand, how you are going to economically sustain doing what you love. Will people pay for what you are going to do…? What is the value you are going to add to yourself and the people around you…?
3. Find your core strengths:
Now you are 100% convinced with what you want to do and how it is going to add value. Next is, to look for your strengths that would naturally take you towards what you love. Look out for the unique strengths, qualities and abilities you have. Take a genuine feedback about yourself from your parents, siblings, teachers, friends and colleagues. Ask them what are the things those you are good at and naturally talented at. Identify, nurture and develop those strengths.
4. Find your weaknesses:
This is a very important and critical step. I am sure Ignorance is definitely not a bless in case of one’s weakness. Becoming aware of your own weakness and accepting your own limitations is the first step to conquer and overcome them effectively. Ask for very critical and frank opinions from people around, take the critical feedback very graciously, which will enable you to work on them. Identify, scrap them if not really useful and work on it to improve upon if it is going to be of use in life.
5. Have the commitment:
Not having that sincere commitment and dedication towards your own goal is a great recipe for failure in life. Have an uncompromising commitment towards what you want to achieve and keep working diligently towards your goal without any procrastination in life. Think about the words from Brian Tracy, “Do something each day about your goal such that you move an inch closer towards your goal at the end of the day”.
Ultimately “It’s not what you say, but what you do that counts.”
6. Don’t ignore the present:
Don’t forget the task at hand by just dreaming about the future. Remember that there will be no energy, enthusiasm and fun in pursuing the dreams when there is a sense of dissatisfaction about what you have at present. Yes, you may not love your work at present; irrespective of that learn to do the work at present with 100% diligence. Think about the saying “There is always a choice about the way we do our work, even if there is not much choice about the work itself.”
While accomplishing the tasks at present, look out for ways in which you can work towards your ultimate goal in life.
7. Get ready to give up:
If you are fully occupied and busy in life, then how are you going to spend time for what you love?. Make priorities accordingly and learn to give up certain comforts and explore new areas in life. Without touching that extra mile nothing is achieved in this world. Remember, “No Pain, No Gain”.
Don’t get stuck in your old patterns of thinking and ways of doing things. As we say in NLP, “If you are not getting the result you want, do something different.”
Take out your weekends, evenings and free time from your day job in learning, thinking and doing something about what you love to do. Pursue it like a very serious and sincere hobby. I am sure you would be able to turn your hobby into a full time profession one day in the future.
8. Have a strong belief in yourself:
Have a very strong belief in yourself, what you love to do and what you want to become. You may want to become a great singer, excellent painter, wonderful photographer, awesome dancer, great teacher, inspiring public speaker. Just call yourself with that name/title, make your future visiting cards already, talk to people as if you are one already. Have keen interest about it and seek to learn from whatever ways you could and share your insights. Ultimately have a very great self confidence and belief in yourself such that, nothing in this world can change that.
There could be much more that the tips above based upon where you are now at present in life and what you love to do in life. Always remember the words of Robert Frost in his Stopping by Woods, “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.”
If you have that irresistible passion within, I am sure no one or nothing can stop you from reaching what you want in life.
My heartfelt wishes to you in the wonderful journey of doing what you love to do in life. I assure you that, Anbusivam.com will always be there for your motivation and support.
Thanks for Visiting My Page.
With Love,
Anbusivam
Hi Anbu, Nice inspiring practical article. Its so true that i have got so busy in life that i forgotten myself and what drives me, that the discovery process is very difficult and slow.
Thanks Lavanya for your comment. Yeah, true but don’t stop that search in your life until you get answers for all your questions abour your puorpose in life. Wish you all the best.
-Anbusivam