The Question That Holds You Back
«What do you want to do with your life?» It’s a question that seems crucial, one that many people feel they must answer before making any major decisions. But in reality, it often does more harm than good. The pressure to define a perfect career or life path can lead to stagnation, fear of making the wrong choice, and ultimately, inaction.
A friend of mine, a smart and hardworking woman in her mid-twenties, has been stuck in a cycle of uncertainty for years. Every year, she applies to universities, considering different fields, but never follows through. Not because she lacks ambition, but because she feels she hasn’t yet figured out «the right» career. She’s waiting for a grand revelation that might never come.
And she’s far from alone. Many people feel paralyzed by the need to define their future before taking any action. But here’s the truth:
There is no single, perfect career waiting to be discovered. Passion is built, not found.
Instead of obsessing over finding your life’s purpose before you start, what if you simply took the next logical step? What if you explored, experimented, and let your interests guide you forward? The most successful people rarely had everything figured out from the beginning. They took action first and discovered their path along the way.
Passion Isn’t a Lightning Strike
One of the biggest myths about careers and life choices is that passion arrives like a lightning bolt. That one day, you’ll wake up with a crystal-clear vision of what you’re meant to do, and from then on, everything will fall into place.
But reality tells a different story. Passion is rarely something you «find.» It’s something you develop over time through curiosity, effort, and experience. The most accomplished people didn’t stumble upon their calling by accident. They experimented, learned, adjusted, and let their interests evolve.
Ben Casnocha, who became a CEO at 19, wrote in his book My Start-Up Life:
«It didn’t start with a dream. It didn’t start in a garage. It didn’t even start with an innovative epiphany, which are perhaps entrepreneurs' most overplayed recollections.»
Ben’s success didn’t come from a sudden realization of his purpose—it came from years of small steps, small risks, and small wins that accumulated into something bigger.
And he’s not alone. Many successful entrepreneurs, artists, and professionals started with a vague interest, took action, and let their passion grow organically. If you wait for a grand epiphany, you might never start at all.
Replace Decisions with Curiosity
Instead of searching for a final answer to your career or life direction, what if you focused on curiosity? What excites you, even a little? What topics or activities make you lose track of time?
Many people dismiss their interests because they don’t see an immediate way to turn them into a career. But that’s not how passion develops. The bridge from interest to a sustainable career is rarely obvious at first.
Curiosity is the first step. Skill-building comes next. Passion follows.
Take blogging as an example. Many people start blogs as a hobby. Over time, some of them develop writing skills, build an audience, and eventually turn their blogs into a source of income. But in the beginning, they had no idea whether it would lead anywhere.
The same applies to many careers. The key is to start small, experiment, and follow what sparks your interest, without expecting an immediate payoff.
Turning Interests Into Income Isn’t a Straight Path
The idea of a linear career path is outdated. Most successful professionals didn’t follow a straight path from college to their dream job. Instead, they adapted, pivoted, and discovered opportunities they never expected.
For example, Steve Pavlina initially thought his website would make money through products and workshops. But years later, he found that his real income came from advertising and affiliate sales—something he initially overlooked.
Similarly, Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, didn’t start his career as a cartoonist. He studied economics and worked in a bank. His passion for drawing developed over time, and only later did he realize it could become his full-time career.
Your interests will evolve. Your opportunities will shift. And that’s perfectly okay.
Steps to Building a Passion That Works
Step 1: Gather Sparks of Curiosity
Stop waiting for a clear passion. Instead, start exploring. Read books outside your usual interests, take up a new hobby, meet new people. The more experiences you expose yourself to, the more likely you are to stumble upon something that excites you.
Step 2: Fan the Flames of Interest
Once you find something intriguing, dive deeper. Take a course, start a small project, practice a new skill. The goal is to transition from casual interest to actual involvement.
Step 3: Cut Out Distractions
Building skills and passion takes time. If your schedule is filled with endless scrolling on social media, mindless TV, or other low-value activities, you’ll struggle to make progress. Reduce distractions and create space for meaningful work.
Step 4: Live Minimally
Financial obligations can trap you in a job you dislike. The less you need, the more freedom you have to experiment and take risks. Keeping your lifestyle simple gives you room to explore without the pressure of needing a high-paying job right away.
Step 5: Create Value
Passion alone isn’t enough—you need to develop skills that provide value to others. Whether it’s writing, programming, designing, or something else, the more useful your skills, the more opportunities you’ll have.
Step 6: Find a Way to Monetize
Once you’ve built valuable skills, look for ways to monetize them. This could mean freelancing, starting a business, or finding a job in your field. But the key is to focus on creating value first—money follows value, not the other way around.
Step 7: Repeat the Process
There is no final destination. Your interests will change, your skills will evolve, and new opportunities will arise. Be open to the journey rather than fixating on a single path.
What’s Next?
You don’t need to have your entire life mapped out. You don’t need a perfect five-year plan. What you need is momentum.
Take the next step. Try something new. Follow your curiosity. Passion isn’t something you wait for—it's something you build.
