When you lack passion, you are at a disadvantage. You cannot focus,
enjoy, or be who you really are. Without the energy and vitality passion provides,
you fall into “passion deficit.”
The symptoms of passion deficit are all too common:
1. Blaming. Blaming your unhappiness on others is the first symptom.
When passion is part of your life, you create your own happiness. Energy and fulfillment
come from within.
2. Longing. Even if you do not feel unhappy, you may think something
is missing in your life. When passion is absent or suppressed, you are left with
a deep sense of yearning or longing. You might not know what you desire, but you
know something is absent.
3. Discomfort. You sense that something is wrong, out of sync or
uncomfortable. Maybe you work in a job you dislike. Perhaps you are in a bad relationship.
Maybe you are disillusioned with your church or faith. Often you do not understand
these feelings and, therefore, do not strive to correct the situation.
Rediscovering Passion
If you share any of these feelings, you may have compromised your
passion. Your life might be far removed, in spirit and in practice, from what
your heart craves. However, you can increase your fulfillment by incorporating
passion more completely into your life.
Remember a time in your life when you were exuberant, enthralled,
exhilarated, enthusiastic, and passionate? You can have that passion back. You
can’t conjure the identical circumstances or the exact feelings, but you
can regain vitalizing energy. You can make passion a compelling force in your
life and indulge in the joy that accompanies it.
I often wonder how we get so out of touch with our passion—how
we get divorced from our heart. The world seems to conspire against our passion,
first draining it from us and then preventing it from coming back. We simply have
too much to do and too little time to do it, both at work and at home. We worry
about what’s next and what we’re not getting done, rather than focusing
on what we could be doing now. We are so burned out that we watch TV or find other
meaningless tasks instead of actively pursuing something that moves us. How can
this be when we have more opportunities and outlets than ever for pursuing our
interests?
What opportunity are you waiting for? You won’t recognize opportunity
if you are out of touch with your heart.
If you are unfulfilled in your professional or personal life, such
self-limiting behavior only fuels the cycle of stagnation. Rather than challenging
your abilities, you tend to limit your growth to maintain an appearance of control.
You willingly exchange risk for complacency, potential for mediocrity. Often you
ignore inklings of passion because you are focused on pleasing others. These decisions
lead you farther away from your passion, and ultimately from your happiness. The
challenge is to bring the passion back, return to your heart for guidance and
direction and reclaim the fulfilling life.
Are You Suffering?
Ask yourself: Am I less than thrilled with the state of my life?
Do I blame others for my unhappiness and frustration? Do I long for something
more or different? Do I feel that something is missing from my life? Do I often
feel sad or angry? Do I regret many of the choices I have made? Do I feel that
something is wrong or out of sync with my life? Am I often confused or frustrated?
Do I doubt my ability to change my life? Am I afraid to change?
Identify your most important passion and solicit the support of your
family and friends to help you incorporate this passion into your life. PE
