We are all multi-faceted, multi-passionate beings. And by that I mean there’s a variety of interests (or passions) that fire us. Some are super strong, while others burn a little less but no matter the strength, they make up who we are.
You can’t do it all – or can you?
I’m sure somewhere along the line you have been told by a well-intentioned person that it isn’t smart to focus on too many projects at once. If you do, one thing or another is going to suffer. I am here to tell you - don’t believe them! You can hold down a full time job (or run a business), be a parent and still make the time to pursue your passions.
When I first started staffing, I was trained to believe that I had to live, breath, and eat staffing. Everything else had to come second for me to be successful. And I believed them! Looking back, of course they were going to tell me that! I was an employee and they were corporate; that was their way of making sure all I did was hit the pavement and make the calls.
Listening to yourself
Most of us have some amazing ideas and passions within us – sometimes they stir quietly and at other times, they roar. I know you know what I’m talking about – that feeling you get when you know there is more to life; when you know there is something exciting waiting for you to do … that thing we call purpose!
Your purpose can be anything from selling the art you have been quietly creating to writing that book you’ve been dreaming about to selling your delicious homemade pies. My purpose right now is to tell you it is possible to pursue your passions! You don’t need to wait until you can quit your job, until the kids are older, until you meet the right person. The time is right now!
The process
There’s two key ways to successfully pursue your passions.
1. Commit
If there is a passion you want to pursue, like Nike says JUST DO IT! You don’t have to have 40 hours a week to do what you love, or the right schooling, or the capital. Something amazing happens when you just start! Even one hour a week dedicated to your passion WILL make a difference. Just like in the movie The Shawshank Redemption when the central character Andy dug away at that wall with his tiny handmade pick, chipping away to finally make a hole big enough to give him his freedom. That’s your one hour per week.
2. Let go of perfectionism
Let me tell you, half-assed for an hour a week is better than not doing anything! Because over time, your half-assed work will get better and better. For instance, I have a friend who was always passionate about real estate so she started dabbling on the side several years ago. As she was still working full time, she wasn’t able to put in the effort she really wanted to, but she just continued to work on it little by little. She didn’t care if what she was doing was perfect - she just kept making the calls and talking to people. Two years later, she successfully secures one listing after another and she is still also working her full time job.
The power of now
Don’t wait to start your passion project or your side hustle! Use your one hour a week to write that book or start that business. And you’ll see that one year from now, you'll have put in at least 40 hours into your passion (yes, I factored in for those weeks when you fall off!).
It’s better to start now instead of putting it off. As soon as you start, you are that much closer to your dream. And along the way, remember: this is your own unique journey so stick to your pace and don’t compare yourself to others. Doing that is self-sabotage. You are exactly where you need to be so don’t rush it … JUST START!