Purposeful Passion - 50 years of diving
What do you love to do so much you want to do it for the next 40 or 50 years?
Scuba diving is one of my favorite hobbies. At Women’s Dive Day this year, I had a chance to meet a lady who, at 75 years young, has been teaching diving for 50 years. A trailblazer in the world of scuba, she was one of the first female course directors for PADI.
She loves scuba diving and has shared that excitement with family, friends, and strangers for over half a century. She was walking down ramps wearing full gear (that’s about 50 pounds) and lifting gear to help her buddy get suited up. But what struck me the most was her humility and her passion for the sport.
Purposeful passion is proven to be a key component of both longevity and joy. It’s an activity that we look forward to doing because it generates positive energy when we do it, no matter how tired or mentally worn down we are before starting. Sometimes our purposeful passion comes to us in a very obvious moment. It may start when we are young and stick with us our whole lives. But it often emerges over time, and may even grow and develop as we grow and change. Those who know what their purposeful passion (or passions) are look forward to those times with excitement and joy.
But what if you don’t have a purposeful passion?
Here are three steps to help you discover that purposeful passion that will generate positive energy in your life and build your joy.
1. Reflect and generate ideas:
What did you enjoy when you were younger that you have forgotten you loved to do?
What activities do you look forward to when you have free time?
What are your strengths? (Pro tip: think about what you do that feels effortless)
What are your values and what activities might support those values?
2. Using those answers, create some action steps:
Engage in some old favorite activities or try some new ones based on your reflections.
Join a group or event around those activities (Pro Tip: search Meetup.com and Eventbrite.com as well as your local community center to find activities near you)
Don’t be afraid to “fail” as you experiment. Finding your purposeful passion is about discovering what you don’t like as well as what you do like - and sometimes you might love an activity in one environment but hate it in another. (For example, Katie Ledecky loves to swim - but only in a pool, not open water.)
3. If you are still struggling or are not sure where to start, get some expert guidance.
Ask a trusted mentor what your strengths are.
Discuss with close friends what they see brings you energy and joy.
Reach out to a certified coach to assist you through the process.
What is your purposeful passion that brings you joy and excitement?
