Ryan Stephens Marketing

“This book (Incognito) was written over the course of a few years by several different people, all of whom were named David Eagleman, but who were somewhat different with each passing hour.” — David Eagleman

Maybe this quote resonates with me because my passions are constantly in flux. In 2009 it was work and Generation Y. In 2010 it was about re-connecting with friends and finding happiness. In 2011 it was education reform and behavioral change.

A great professor can make you passionate about a subject. Discovering you’re talented at a work task can make you excited about your job. A new contact can get you amped about any number of things.

You get the point.

Here’s some other examples:

Monica Leonelle used to be Monica O’Brien. She used to write a lot about social media. Now she could probably still help you with your digital needs if you asked nicely, but she writes urban fantasy novels.

Andy Drish used to be one of those boring corporate guys (presumably), but then he went out on his own and consults, couch surfs, snowboards and hangs out with Tony Robbins.

Andrew Norcross used to drink coffee, smoke cigarettes, have a shit ton of tattoos and build ass websites. He still drinks coffee, smokes cigarettes and has a shit ton of tattoos, but he also has one of those day job things.

Too many people put too much emphasis on finding their one true passion. These people often end up disappointed. They use it as an excuse for inaction.

I’ve found that passion has the ability to find you… often when you least expect it… provided that you’re living life, taking chances, and experimenting.

What about you? How have your passions changed in the last year? The last three years?

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Ramit Sethi is getting ready to launch his dream job course.

Ordinarily leading up to their product launches I temporarily unsubscribe from even my favorite bloggers because I get tired of the ‘hard’ sell; HOWEVER, lately Ramit’s free stuff has been superior to most people’s paid products so I’ve consumed and bookmarked as much I could.

I wish I could print it out, get it bound and give it to my friends currently job searching or trying to upgrade their current job situation. More importantly, I wish they’d read it and take action.

One of the most frustrating things for me is hearing many of my friends (mid-late 20s, well-educated) complaining that they’re not getting jobs they’re passionate about.

I’ve been fortunate thus far in my (short) career to find work I’m passionate about doing, but I’m not an expert. Ramit is.

Here’s two good quotes on passion from Ramit that I wish I would’ve wrote:

Ramit On Passiveness:

Most of us approach our passions in a passive way. After all, we don’t know any other way. We go through school, taking classes someone else prescribes for us, doing the same 5 activities, passing the tests, getting decent grades, and then we’re thrust into the real world. The only thing is, there are no “grades” in real life, and there are infinite paths we could take.

It’s no wonder we’re bad at finding our passion. Nobody taught us how to make conscious, strategic choices — sometimes unpopular choices. Instead, at every step, we were encouraged to take the safe, prescribed route.

Look, nobody expects you to have found your passion at 25, or 30, or even 35 — but I do expect you to be taking micro-steps to discover it. When you use phrases like “I want to find something I love,” you’re betraying yourself: Instead of actively seeking out what you’d love to do, you’re waiting for your passion to somehow magically fall from the sky.

Forget for a second how modern-day education teaches that mediocre obedience is the key to success. Cowards point the finger and assign blame, but high performers actively (and strategically) acquire more skills and seek to learn more about themselves.

How many people do you know who went to law school just because they didn’t know the hell they wanted to do when they graduated? What steps are you taking today to discover your own passion(s)?

Ramit On Finding Your Passion:

Most of us operate with the Invisible Script that we’re waiting for our passion to somehow materialize. That’s why we use code words like “I need to find…” and “I really want to…” instead of the words that top performers use: “I’m so excited about ___” and “I don’t know if this is what I’ll do forever, but right now I’m learning a ton.”

I have a different view of passion. It’s a messy, circuitous process. You have to dig through cobwebs and explore a kaleidoscope of patterns, getting your hands dirty in the process of discovery. It’s like shopping at Ross.

Compare this to the dainty idea most of us have of waiting under a parasol for the rain clouds to clear and a ray of passion to warm our bodies. Not gonna happen.

I love this because, like so many other things we try to categorize and nail-down, passion is fluid. One day you’re passionate about photography. Years later you’re burned out and you’re passionate about running, or cooking, or landscaping.

Your passions are going to change so find something that makes you happy right now (or involves doing some tasks that you’ll acquire energy from) and do the best you can at that until you’re ready for the next logical progression.

Stop looking for the all-encompassing job that meets all the criteria you’ve set forth in those imaginary check boxes. It doesn’t work for significant others and it won’t work for a job.

Have you found a job you’re passionate about? If so, how did you go about acquiring that job? What percentage of the tasks you do on a daily basis align with your passions? What advice would you give to someone trying to find their passion? A job that they’re passionate about?

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If you’re doing important work, work that matters, stress is inevitable. No matter how cool, calm and collective you are invariably there will be days where your workload, deadlines, work-life balance, etc. gets all up around you.

You can hyperventilate and complain all day or you can take a deep breath and leverage these 5 ways to de-stress in the office.

1.) Attack the Most Impactful Work First

Your projects aren’t going to complete themselves. Most of us breathe a sigh of relief when we mark something off of our to-do lists so determine what will add the most value to your company, your life, etc. and do that today.

Big projects are intimidating. It’s easy to get paralyzed by fear or overwhelmed by a big project. Break it into manageable tasks and complete one each day.

2.) Put Things in Perspective

You have a job. A lot of people don’t. But seriously, what is your worst case scenario? There’s a lot of people less fortunate than you and it’s often helpful to remember that.

3.) Cut up with a Co-Worker

“People with one friend at work are much more likely to find their work interesting. And people with three friends at work are virtually guaranteed to be very satisfied with their life,” writes Penelope Trunk citing Tom Rath’s book Vital Friends.

The ‘woe is me’ approach gets old really fast, but good co-workers will let you get it off your chest for a few minutes. Especially if you buy them a drink after work. And if you’re having trouble making friends at work here’s 6 ways to build better relationships with your co-workers.

4.) Take Lunch *Away* From Your Desk

(via @KerryGuard)

For at least a half hour everyday escape your office/desk/cube. Some days you feel like there’s no time, but I assure you that a half hour to break up the day goes a long way in preventing burn out. I used to take a quick drive to a parking lot and eat on my tailgate. Now I find a quiet place and read a bit while I eat.

5.) Step Away From Your Desk and Take a Walk

(via @JasMollica)

This is one of the most common recommendations, most likely because it’s simple and works for most people. Sometimes you just need 5-10 minutes to realign and catch your breath. Go get a honey bun or some hot Cheetos out of the vending machine. Call your Mom. Walk outside and watch a squirrel.

It really doesn’t matter what you do. If you get stuck or overwhelmed, don’t try to push through. Allow yourself a few minutes to get your feet underneath you. You’re not being productive when you’re flustered anyway. Work in surges when you’re at peak efficiency.

What about you? What tactics to do you employ when you’re stressed at the office? What about people that work from home? What do you do differently?

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