#WNJInspired | 7 Tips on Pursuing Your Passion

Ever since I was a child, I had a passion for writing. I wrote my 1st short story in 4th grade and having my teacher bind and publish it for the whole school to read was a MAJOR moment in my 4th grade life, lol. I also remember “playing store” with my cousins and friends when I was little. I’d have them act as customers while I rang up their items. The items in this case were Bibles, Encyclopedia’s, pens and whatever else happened to be in my grandfathers office/library. Fast forward years later and I’m still pretty much doing the same things; writing and “playing store”. Granted, the writing and store playing is now on a different level. But I have yet to stray from what intrigued and inspired me as a child. This leads me to sharing my 7 tips on pursuing your passion.

7 Tips on Pursuing Your Passion

1. Think about what you enjoyed doing as a child. Did you enjoy writing poems? What about telling jokes? Maybe you enjoyed knitting and making crafts with your grandmother. Think about those things to get your mind going in the right direction. Think about how you felt doing those activities. If it made you happy or brought you joy, that’s a good place to start.

2. Write/create an action plan. Get a journal, notepad or notebook and write! Write down your goals, plans, dreams, things that inspire you, etc. Create a plan for yourself and figure out how you’re going to pursue your passion. Are you going to open an online store to sell your homemade items? Write it down. Also, list your short term and long term goals.

3. Keep your day job. It may sound obvious but, don’t quit your day job to pursue your passion if you cannot afford it. Let’s be honest, not many of us have the luxury of working on our passion full-time. But that doesn’t mean it will never happen. Keep working and doing your best where you are, while working towards making your passion a full-time job.

4.  Research. Find articles, blog posts and anything else that has to do with your passion. Become an expert at whatever it is you want to pursue. If you can’t afford to subscribe to magazines, head to the library. They have a ton of magazines and while some may be outdated, they still have useful information on a plethora of topics. Also, sign up form FREE seminars and participate in twitter chats and Google Hangouts that pertain to your passion.

5. Find a mentor. If you admire someone, reach out to them. Let them know you notice what they’re doing and don’t be afraid to tell them how they’ve inspired you. Build a relationship with that person and be sure to stay in contact through emailing, text messaging, phone conversations, etc.  NOTE: Be genuine and speak from your heart. People can sense insincerity and people can spot a suck-up a mile away.

6. Network. Going back to #4, research and find out about networking opportunities in your area. Being around like-minded creatives feeds your passion. This is crucial in pursing your passion. Check out this post for more reasons why networking is important.

7. Don’t give up. Finding and realizing your passion can be exhilarating and tough at the same time. There will be times when you can’t give your all to your passion because of prior obligations. And you may run into people who doubt your passion. Do not let that stop you. Keep going, keep thriving, and remember how great your passion makes you feel.

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So tell me, how are you pursuing your passion? Is there something holding you back? Let me know!

Let’s keep the conversation going and let’s inspire and motivate one another! If you have any topics or questions you want me to discuss here on WNJ, feel free to contact me! I’d love to get your feedback/or questions!  As always, thanks for reading and until next time, be blessed and stay safe…XO!

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