Listen. This is the best business advice I have heard and heard in my life. Listen to the spark that ignites within you. Follow that spark and nurture it. Listen to your market, whether they are customers, people you mentor, those you serve through volunteering, or members of your community. Your market will tell you what works and what doesn't. Your spark, you will find, aligns with what your market is telling you. Serving your market effectively will boost that spark, making you more efficient and powerful, which just feels amazing. It's a feedback loop that's part tactical, part magic.
I often meet people who are stuck, who don't know how to find a job, hobby, or service project that really ignites their spark. Here is my advice for them and for you:
Act.
Don't take time to think about your life path, or stay put until the lightning strikes. Go for it. Try new things. To be active. Meet and spend time with new people. Travel. To explore. Work – really hard work. As celebrity chef Julia Child said, "You have to have discipline to have fun."
Serve.
All the science is with me on this:Humans are happiest when they serve others. At every stage of your pursuit of passion, ask:How are my time, energy, focus, skills, and talents best used for a greater good?
Have fun.
See Julia Child quote above. Never feel guilty for spending time on something that gives you joy.
Related: 3 ways to discover your true passion
Listen to the spark that ignites within you. Follow that spark and nurture it.
Matt Schulz
44; founder of TalkingInClass.org; Austin, TX
I have long been familiar with the serious credit and debt problems facing Americans, through my work in the personal financial media for a decade. But when I talked about credit with my son's fifth grade class, it really ignited my passion for making a difference in financial literacy. I was blown away by the interest of these 10-year-olds in the topic and the thoughtful questions they asked. I realized that with my connections to the personal finance community, I have a powerful Rolodex of influencers and savvy people who could have experiences similar to mine in the classrooms of their community and have a real impact on the future lives of children who rarely get the basic tools they need to make informed financial decisions. It inspired me to start TalkingInClass.org, an organization dedicated to recruiting personal finance experts to volunteer in classrooms across the United States, to make a real difference in children's financial literacy. . When I recruit my colleagues for this effort, I see the same passion I felt when I spoke to that first class.
Jodi Ashbrook
35; speaker, author, traveling yoga teacher, entrepreneur and life coach; Hamilton, Ohio
At 24 my life had become a chain of negative thought patterns and why am I here myself? moments. I tried to find comfort in food, which resulted in an 80-pound weight gain. I found myself disconnected from all my relationships and in debt to my ears. A few months after a suicide attempt, I again faced death from two blood clots in my lungs. I pledged to no longer live my life in fear, to say yes to risk and opportunity, and to follow my passion no matter how scared I am. Through teaching yoga and my coaching practice, I have found that helping others, rather than focusing on my own problems, brings me the greatest joy. Since then, I started my first business, became a yoga teacher and studio owner, and began living a mobile life committed to promoting wellness and personal growth. Today I am free.
Meredith Cohen
35; Occupational therapist; Plymouth, MA
After college, I worked at one of the largest advertising agencies in the country as a senior media planner until my father was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I knew there was not much we could do to stop the disease, but we could improve his quality of life. This led me to research and find strong evidence between tai chi, yoga, boxing and a better sense of balance, strength and confidence for people living with Parkinson's. I also looked at my quality of life and my satisfaction with my career. It was the catalyst that called me to do something more meaningful in my professional life. I contacted a friend at Massachusetts General Hospital who connected me with nurses and physical therapists and occupational therapists, and I immediately fell in love with the art of occupational therapy. I gave the ad agency two weeks notice and began the difficult process of starting a new career. Over the past few years, as an occupational therapist, I have received several awards, become an advanced clinician, and have created several programs specifically for Parkinson's disease and other neurological conditions. It was a scary process, but every day when I help make someone's life better, I know it was worth it.
Related: 4 Ways to Find Passion and Purpose in Your Life
This article originally appeared in the December 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
