Activate Your Dreams

Last time we talked about goals -- specific steps on the path.  Now, we'll talk about dreams -- the bigger picture.  Having your dream clearly in mind makes it easier to set goals.  Sometimes it's hard to see where you want to go, though.  Is it hard for you to imagine where you want to be 5 or 10 years from now when you're struggling with the realities of studying for tests, paying bills, taking care of family, and fitting in time for fun?

Here's one technique for finding your passion:

Imagine yourself on a desert island for 3 months.  This is a twist on the usual scenario -- it's a pampered vacation, not an isolated shipwreck/deathwatch.  You will be cut off from your immediate friends, family, job, life, etc. -- but you won't be completely alone.  The purpose of your elite vacation will be a 3-month intensive training period with a world-renowned coach of your choice.  If you follow the passion of your heart, what would you choose to do for the 3 months?  At the end of the 3 months, you will have received the best training available, and, if you possess the requisite skills, your personal coach will give you a glowing recommendation. 

Have you always wanted to learn to paint?  Would you follow your dream of learning a new language to enhance your career skills?  How about developing an area of talent/skill you currently enjoy and making it a core strength for you?  What is your passion? 

Keep in mind that the key ingredient to success here is passion.  Passion is the fuel that will take you places.  Passion can also be self-generating -- when you start to run down, passion rebuilds itself for the journey.  Skill is necessary, too, but passion for an area can be applied in so many ways.

For example, I love dance.  There is something about the music, the expression of the soul and spirit through the movement of the body, through subtle steps and gestures, that inspires me and exhilarates me.  I'm a fairly good dancer since I studied dance for a number of years when I was young.  I learn new steps quickly and can innovate.  I enjoy choreographing dance and have a feel for music.  I do not, however, have what it takes to be a professional dancer or to be a dance teacher.  My strengths are in the area of communications -- speaking, writing, web publishing.  If I chose to translate my love of dance into a career, I could draw on my knowledge of cultures and communications and do public relations or marketing for a dance company.   There are many tangential areas I could explore that would tie in my passion with my skill sets.  I know my passions and strengths, but I also know my limitations.  This is key!  For me, though, dance is my leisure pursuit, not my career dream.

I encourage you to take time and space to explore your passions in a way that makes sense to you.  Discover your dreams (try Hallie Crawford's "Vision Board" approach) and contemplate how you might live them.  A lived dream is a soul set free; an unlived dream is a caged spirit.  If you're ready dive into the deep end of exploration, try Quint Careers' tutorial on Career Passion.