Creating is connected to intention and our ability to create must be rooted in meaning and purpose, or it will not be sustainable. Put passion into your work by coming from a place of meaning and purpose.
Creativity Exercise: Reflect on the contributions that you have made throughout your life that were meaningful and satisfying. Notice what you generated that comes from passion. Practice this daily for at least one week and notice what you are passionate about now.
Consider what makes you feel passionate. Is it your intentions for something great, or that something you feel a deep sense of purpose about? It could be that something that makes you feel like you are making a big difference or in some small way saving the world. These intentions can be big or small and so can your passion. I have a passion for making art and sharing what I’ve learned about art and creativity. My passion comes out when I get an idea of something that I think could be fantastic. In my minds eye, I can see a creation, be it a painting or a room full of willing colleagues. I can imagine the surprise and delight in people’s eyes when they see what I have to offer. I create a vision and anchor myself in it. I currently volunteer for an arts organization, because I am inspired to be a part of a known, respected organization that has a strong skill set where I can learn about the business of art, test my leadership abilities, while at the same time benefit other artists. I’m passionate about leading, facilitating, growing my skills and empowering and inspiring others to take on their own creativity and self expression.
When you pick your passions, you get to choose how it goes, and how wonderful it will be. What do people get passionate about? Here are some ways we show our passion:
Big things – Be involved in saving the environment, feeding the planet, curing people, building community, ending violence, creating equality, empowering groups of people, creating better government, stopping war, overcoming racism, or helping animals.
Little things – Organize a family reunion, make a perfect cake, be a block-watch captain, work in a soup kitchen, research something, exercise daily, create a painting, coach kids, do a presentation on anything, blog an opinion, or be a mentor for someone.
If you are having challenges getting passionate about something (ie. Creating a positive, engaging future perspective), you might have a strong inner critic that is stopping you from dreaming the big dream. What helps in this situation is to look into your past for your passions. Look at the contributions that you have made where you felt excited to be a part of something. Sometimes we are not aware of what drives us. We only know that we are happy in that thing we found ourselves in. It could have been an activity you gladly volunteered for (this is generally a good clue that there is an element of passion in you), and your passion may have come from the joy of working together towards a cause, or working with people who inspire you to be caught up in a wave of purpose and meaning, or recognizing the impact your efforts made for someone else. Passion may seem fleeting at times. We experience brief periods of intense connection to passion, and then it becomes a slow simmer that sits underneath. When our passion is rooted in a clear intention, this is how it becomes sustainable. We must be clear on our intentions to keep the passion alive within us. If you find yourself talking incessantly about something, or ruminating on something for long periods of time, that is your cue. To create passion all you have to do is engage. You can start small, and let it grow as your intentions become clearer in the difference that you are choosing to create in your life and the lives of others.
If for no other reason, be passionate about living a considered life. Have your actions take on a meaning and purpose that leaves a legacy where this world is a big better off as a result of your having been here.
