Has that ever happened to you? I bet it has. It’s as if we fall out of love with something. Maybe your got a fantastic job, but after a year or two it becomes a drag. Or maybe you started a consuming new hobby – and then suddenly lose interest. It can be distressing when you suddenly notice that you’re not enjoying your special job or special activity anymore.
Here’s what happened to me:
When I did my Masters in Religious Studies a few years ago, I was totally fired up to begin with. I loved researching and writing papers, finding out new things – especially about Zen history, and really tuning up my brain. The first of the three years was great! The second got harder and harder, and the last year was a grind. However, I managed to throw the switch towards the end and got happily absorbed with writing my thesis.
The good news is that there are ways of firing up a fading passion. It’s like being in a long relationship. After the honeymoon period comes a kind of disenchantment. And then the real work of building a happy and lasting relationship begins.
How to regain your enthusiasm
There are five simple ways to fire up your enthusiasm.
Keep a gratitude diary.
Remember how it was when you first started? You could see what a wonderful opportunity it was for you. And how it would make you grow and develop. A gratitude journal can bring back that initial passion back to life again. A good way to use it is to write in your journal for 10 minutes each day. Focus on the area in which you want to rekindle your passion and write down everything about the activity that you can be grateful for.
Find out what irks you.
If you look carefully at what it is about the activity that triggers negative thoughts, you can set some changes into motion. Are you stressed out? Do you need people to help you? Is there somebody you are in conflict with? All these things can erode passion.
Ask for help.
Do you feel that burdened with too much responsibility? If that gets you down, ask for help. Maybe you can share a task with a colleague, or spread the load of responsibility so that others share it.
Negative self-talk can erode passion. Whenever you notice that you’re indulging in negative thoughts, pull yourself up. Say to yourself, “I let go.” You’ll notice that this becomes easier, the more you practice letting go of negative thoughts. I find it useful to think of difficulties as ‘challenges’.
Talk with a friend.
The temptation when talking with a friend is to complain. A better way is to start of with all the things that you cherish about the activity, and everything about it that you are grateful for. After you’ve done that, list the challenges.
6. Remember the 90/10 rule.
When I was struggling to complete my Masters in Religious Studies a couple of years ago, my Head Tutor said to me:
” Mary, try to be one of the 10% that finish. In my experience, 90% do the first 10% of any given task. But when it gets to the last 10% of a task, only 10% actually complete it.” Afterwards I was determined to be one of the few who finish.
Read books to rekindle your vision and grow your knowledge:
The more expertise you gain in your area of passion, the more you will be needed and the more you will want to share what you know. Are you reading any books in your passion area right now? Why not? Here's two I'm currently reading that fire me up: The Call by Os Guiness (Subtitled "Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life." Written in 1998 and this is my 4th time reading through it with a highlighter!). The Starfish and the Spider by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom. (Subtitled "The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations.")
Get greater clarity on your passion:
If you're reading these so far and you're not quite sure what your passion is - make a priority to explore that area. If you haven't yet, participate in an
Endeavor coaching program. We're planning another Endeavor Group Program in September. Plan to be there and let others know too!
8. Make a two column list: What Currently drains Me/What Currently Energizes Me:
Once you make the list, create a plan to do less of the draining stuff and more of the energizing stuff...even if it takes time to get there!
9. Play out a passionless scenario:
What if I never get to do my passion again?: Consider this from how this will affect you and how it would leave a void in the world. Remember that your passion is YOUR passion. It may just be that you were put on this earth to live out that passion. Hmmmm...
Work for an "Audience of One:"
In other words, do what you do for the applause of God and not for fame, fortune or pats on the back. (Trust me, performing for others is DRAINING!) In The Call, Os Guiness says, "A life lived listening to the decisive call of God is a life lived before an audience that trumps all others - the Audience of One.... Living before the Audience of One transforms all endeavors."
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