Make a living out of your passion

No matter a person’s gender, age, or industry, everyone wants to find a job they enjoy. Often, this is easier said than done. The elusive “dream job” is appealing, but what are the steps needed to get it?I believe it is all about figuring out what you love; that’s the starting point. Once you have clearly articulated that, both to yourself and others, you can proceed from there. Here are a few lessons I have learned in my own personal journey towards pursuing my passion. In my case, it was all about writing stories, but these are key steps in anyone’s journey to a rewarding and fulfilling career.Just ask yourself what you are making time for? The biggest difference between a hobby and a passion is that you find yourself making time to pursue a passion, even when you have no time to begin with. One of the biggest indicators for me that writing was more than just a hobby was when I found myself still writing in my head, even when my job kept me too busy to spend hours physically writing.I noticed that I was subconsciously incorporating my writing skills into every job I had as well, from song writing in the 1990s to drama writing in early 2000s. The more I incorporated my writing into my jobs, the more rewarding they became for me.What do you find yourself making time for? If you are unhappy in your current job, whether you are overstressed or under stimulated, where do you find your mind hooked into? Once you take a few moments of self-reflection to pinpoint the subjects of your passions, you can figure out what binds them together.Figure out why you love what you love.If you had a day completely to yourself, with no responsibilities, how would you spend it? Most people have a variety of hobbies and interests, but the key during this phase of self-reflection is to figure out what all your favourite things have in common. You might realise that your passion is creative expression, writing, or even project management. No matter what you love to do, it will be much easier to explore career opportunities in your list of passions.Go out and do it Once you define what you are passionate about, it’s time to do your homework. Leverage your contacts and set your goals. Learn everything you can about your potential career. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, either. The traditional route is not always the best.Talk to friends, family, former co-workers, and other professional contacts. Tell everyone you know about how excited you are to pursue a career in your chosen field. Ask their advice, and ask them to connect you with any contacts they might have. The more enthusiastic you are about your new career path, the more likely you’ll stand out in their minds when they have a conversation with someone who may be interested in your skill set. In today’s business world, you need both self-determination and the ability to network to be truly successful. So, it’s important to do both in your journey to doing what you love as a career.Finally, set goals and benchmarks for yourself – and hold yourself accountable for them. I like to set one major goal per year, secondary goals once a month, and even minor goals once a day. This way, I’m always moving forward.For example, you could start with a goal of taking at least 30 minutes a day to pursue your passion, whether it is writing, painting, or cooking. Your month-long goal could be to assemble these experiences into a killer portfolio. Your long-term goal could be to get at least 10 interviews for jobs that include the passions you’ve identified. No matter what goals you choose, make sure they are challenging but attainable and, most importantly, measurable.Remember most successful entrepreneurs today did not make it because they had knowledge or power. They simply followed their heart desires through doing what they love doing. Get life testimonies of people like the late Steve Jobs, Sir. Henry Ford, Mark Zukerberg of Facebook, Bill Gates etc. Get started today because have all what it takes.Lewis Ndichu is a Young Entrepreneur and founder of Easy goal Entrepreneurs.