Heart & Soul

The life you dream of is within reach and “Passion .  . .Who Needs It?” author Shaunice Hawkins shares how to get there. Discover how to change your life for the better in Part II of our series.

Step #1 – Free Your Mind
Make a list of whatever motivates and inspires you. Take your time. Although you may be eager to start making changes, it’s in your best interest to pause, reflect, and create a list that is authentic and honest.  Note that there is nothing ‘empirically’ right or wrong about what you choose to list; only what’s right or wrong for you

Step #2 – Connect the Dots
Examine the list you’ve created. Do some of your entries appear similar? That’s good! A natural symmetry is bound to occur as you plot out the things that are meaningful to you. Take a moment to sort through the various things that motivate and inspire you and create groups. Don’t worry if you have one or two motivators that are ‘odd man out.’ You’ll address those in the next step.

Step #3 – Prioritize Your Groups
In looking at the various groups you’ve created, you will likely experience a stronger affinity to some than others. Or to put it differently, some of them will feel more motivational to you, and others less. The first step-within-a-step is to label them according to theme such as ‘mentoring,’ or ‘creative design,’ or ‘building strategy’. When you’ve done that, the next thing to do is to rank them in order of most motivating to least motivating.

Step #4 – Pick Your Passions
Trying to focus on too many things at once is the fast track to failure. Separate out the top three ranked groups that represent the things that you find most inspiring, the ones that really and truly motivate you. If you feel stuck and have trouble prioritizing, ask for help. People who know and care about you can offer insights that you can factor into your decision-making. When you’re confident that you’ve been able to zero in on what matters most, put your ‘Top 3’ motivational groups on a new list. (Don’t discard the others, just tuck them away for future development)

Step #5 – Take a Baby Step
This is both the most challenging and the most exhilarating part of the exercise. Focusing in on the three groups you’ve created that resonate deep within your spirit and make you feel truly excited, ask yourself this simple, but probing question: “What is the smallest executable step I can take to begin operating within these groups?” You’ve heard it said a thousand times that every journey begins with a single step. Now is the time to figure out what that step is going to be. And bear in mind that the size of the step is less important than the fact that it is so manageable…so do-able…that nothing will stand in the way of taking it.

Step #6 – Get S.M.A.R.T
Use the S.M.A.R.T. system  (S – Specific/strategic, M – Measurable,  A – Attainable/achievable/actionable, R – Relevant/realistic/results-focused, T – Time-sensitive/tangible) to chart your journey. Lay out short and long-term goals that are realistic and specific. Write down actions you can take to achieve those goals and measures that will enable you to track your progress. Be sure to include a timetable to which you will hold yourself accountable. Again…take your time. This is no time to pretend or lie to yourself. Unless you’re completely honest and focused, you’ll simply sabotage your efforts to make effective changes.

Step #7 – Face Your Challenges Head On
Many people want to ignore the obstacles that stand between them and the changes they like to make and then wonder why they never succeed. Don’t be an ostrich. Identify real and perceived challenges for each of your goals and then strategize a list of resources you’ll need. Then, figure out counter-measures you’ll take to overcome any obstacles in your path.

“Passion .  . .Who Needs It?” is on sale at Amazon.

Read the post from week one:Get In Touch With Your Passion.

Stay tuned for next week’s post on turning your passion into a fulfilling career. Discovered your passion? Share it below.