6 Steps to Discover Your Passion

Tips from a Creative Entrepreneur and Expert Dreamer

What do you want to do with your life? How do you know what you’re passionate about?

Those are loaded questions. If it fills you with anxiety or uncertainty, you’re not alone — it’s not always easy to uncover our passions. And when we see people around us working towards something big, it can get a little disheartening. But not to worry! You’ve got what it takes to discover your passion and awaken the dreamer within, you’ve just got to be open to possibilities.

Take it from Krista Dolash — founder of Root (Opens in a new tab), a 100% natural and organic makeup company based in Waverly, Iowa. In 2013 Krista discovered a problem. Her makeup (that was always marketed as natural) was loaded with artificial ingredients. So she took it upon herself to fix it.

“When I was pregnant with my son, I became super aware and conscious about all of the toxic chemicals and ingredients found in everything from the food we were eating to household cleaners and personal care products,” explains Krista. “After looking at the makeup I’d been wearing, I realized how unnatural it really was! So I made it my mission to make my own foundation. What started as a hobby then blossomed into launching my foundation for sale.”

For Krista, this experiment was the happy accident that helped her to figure out her passion and transform ed her life. Now she’s pursuing a passion she never knew she had. And she’s here to say you can too! Need some help discovering your next passion or dream pursuit? Take these six steps.

6 Tips for Finding Your True Passion in Life

Advice from Krista Dolash, Creative Entrepreneur and Expert Dreamer

Slow down

When it comes to finding what your passion is, one of the best things you can do is slow down. We get it — having a dream and passion is exciting and sometimes all you want to do is get out there and conquer it! But by slowing down, you can see your passion more clearly, get more focused and put a plan in place that’ll help you achieve whatever you set your mind to.

Need some ideas for slowing things down?

• Head out for a long walk outside either by yourself or with a confidant who you can brainstorm with about your dream.
• Yoga is also a great way to center yourself and refocus — you’ll feel great afterwards, too!
• Meditation is known to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings, which could lead to just the recharge you need.
• Grab a book, a cozy blanket and a comfy spot on the couch. Escape for a while into a new world and let everything else disappear for awhile.

Whatever your passion is, make sure you’re taking the time to rest, refresh, recharge and refocus.

Do the things you love

You may not have your dream nailed down just yet, but you’re sure to have hobbies you enjoy — keep playing in those spaces, even if they don’t seem to be paying off at the moment. You never know what activity might strike a spark a new or refined and help you find your passion.

“I never imagined owning a makeup company would be my life. Not for a second. But I always spent time doing things that I love, which for me is creating things,” says Krista.

Tap into your skills

Beginning a new dream pursuit doesn’t mean you need to leave your past behind. Instead of starting from scratch, consider some of your past experiences and skills and build off of them — it can only amplify your future endeavors.

“Utilizing my background in marketing and graphic design, I created my company branding and online presence for absolutely no cost, other than my time,” says Krista. “With my experience, I felt confident giving my new dream of launching this business a shot!”

Think outside of the box

Your next great venture could be right in front of you, you may just need to shift your way of thinking. Is there a problem you’ve always wanted to solve? Is there a new way you could do things? Take a look at your surroundings, give yourself permission to experiment and be open to new possibilities. You could end up finding your passion and making it your job!

“The next best thing might just be so simple that you can’t see it. So keeping your eyes open to the possibility of something happening is so important,” encourages Krista. “It might not be what you have always dreamed of, but the real possibility could be something right in front of you that you would never think of if you’re weren’t open to taking the chance.”

Above all else, keep one thing in mind: Be patient. Discovering your passion won’t happen overnight, but just by shifting your mindset and taking Krista’s advice, you’ll get a little bit closer every day! And once you do, it’ll all be worth it.

“Getting to see my dreams play out and share those dreams with my customers and employees, while showing my children that you can make your dreams a reality is by far the most positive impact Root has played in my life,” says Krista. “I will never forget this experience, from day one to wherever it goes.”

Set goals

You’ve discovered a passion — now what are you going to do with it? Setting goals is a great way to stay focused on what you’re passionate about and achieve something great because of it. Goals provide direction and focus, allowing you to set realistic timelines and gain a better understanding of expectations. Having a goal can also bring about a sense of personal satisfaction.

Now sure how to identify your passion and create results from it? Manifest your dreams and goals by writing them down! Recording your progress is a concrete way to stay motivated and engaged with your intentions — and you’ll have a well-documented system that gets tangible results. Find out more about the power of writing down your dreams. Ready to get started on your goal? Try setting SMART goals — it’s is a great way to plan your goals, track progress and see them through.

Want more tips and inspiration? Head to our special collection of self-improvement resources — where we’ve got just the resources to help support and guide you along any dream pursuit!