Finding Your Passion

Last week, we spoke about finding out what moves you.  Things that you’ve experienced in your  life that has such a deep impact on you that you simply cannot explain away as “just an emotion” or “a momentary lapse of reason”.

In the beginning of my self-study, this was something that was really hard to explore.  It’s always easier to point out someone else’s flaws, eh?

What, specifically, do I feel passionate about.  And why?

I took inventory of my life.  At the bequest of a mentor, I took a list of experiences from my past, categorized them and started paying attention to what had formed the person that I’ve become.

Some of the highlights of my past, both good and bad, that define me:

I learned that lying was better than being boring and unnoticed.

I lost someone close to me, early in life.  Never got to say goodbye.

I learned that trusting a woman with my heart was foolish.

I drank excessively as a means to escape reality and responsibility.

I owned a business, and bankrupted a few years after (personally and in business).

I started smoking when I was 15.  I quit when I was 37.

I weighed over 300 lbs.  I had always been the “fat kid”.  Still think I am.

I always have had the desire to succeed at what I did for a living, just lacked focus.

That’s just a birds-eye view of me.  There is much, much more that I will keep private.  As I grow through this blogging part of my life, I might open up a bit more.  Cheap therapy for me, right?

Going through my life, I turned all of the experiences I could remember, good and bad, to paper and examined them.  Within this list is where I found my passion.

Helping others overcome themselves through my experiences.

My heart goes out to:

Those who’ve had hard financial times. 

Those who have let weight drive their self-esteem into the ground. 

Children who are hurt by adults who should know better. 

Those who are stuck in addictions they think they can’t beat.

Those who have lost someone close.

Those who have let fear rule their lives.

Those who allow the opinions of others to set their destiny.

Those who always feel that they are the underdog and simply just can’t win.

Those who have been betrayed.

There are so many experiences that I have lived through.  I have been given compassion for anyone who walks similar paths that I have taken.  I feel compelled to offer my hand, my support and my energy to assist those who need it.

So….

Let’s work on your passion…

Here’s how I was taught to explore my past experiences.  Breakdown your life into segments.  Whether it be by years, date ranges.  Whatever makes it easier on you.

Then pencil down the things that stick out in your memory.  Good and bad.  All of the experiences you can note.  This may take a few hours.  But it’s well worth it…

Are you game?

If so, let me know.  Email me – eric@ericupton.com

We’ll continue with Step 2 in the next post…

~Uppie