Passion can be defined as a strong emotion that can lead one to do great or terrible things and is a word that can undertake several meanings. It can be evoked from feelings of love, joy, or anger and is what ultimately drives me, along with many others to reach short-term and long-term life goals. Passion is the main force behind success and happiness that allows one to live a more fulfilled life. Passion also gives one the ability to focus, allowing one to narrow their sights on a particular goal. When you have a passion it is easy to find ways to fuel and maintain it, the initial difficulty is finding something to be truly passionate about.
It’s a question we’ve all been asked before: “What do you like to do?” A seemingly easy question, but it was always difficult for me to answer. I’d muster up a response along the lines of sleep, scrolling through social media, or watching tv. I never had a passion of my own or something that I truly enjoyed doing and felt was rewarding for my time. One day my sister and I were driving on the freeway, returning home from a shopping trip. We passed a car that had broken down and was on the side of the road. There was a lady and her two young children that were stranded. It was very hot outside and my sister insisted that we stop to see if we could help. We offered them water, gave them a ride to their house, made sure that they would be ok, and then left. I never saw them again, yet that memory stays forever embedded in my mind. I felt a sense of joy after helping out that family and felt that although what we had done was a small-scale change, that we had given back to the world. We had helped heal a family’s moment of distress and I experienced a sense of inner happiness from my actions. A few days after the incident, I offered my assistance to an eldery couple carrying several grocery bags to the bus stop. A few weeks later, my mother took me to a women’s homeless shelter to sort and serve dinner meals. I looked at helping others as an investment that would pay back dividends, I would offer my help and in turn, receive better well-being. I began volunteering on a weekly basis, at the women’s shelter, the art gallery, and the library. I found happiness in uplifting and helping others, even through the tiniest act of kindness. Months later, I found myself at a doctor’s appointment, a routine checkup, when I was asked once again, “So what do you like to do?,” but this time I had a genuine response, “Helping others.”
Passion is a powerful force in giving one a purpose in life and the driving force behind personal success. Passion motivates, inspires, improves, enables creativity, and brings satisfaction. Every individual should have a passion that they can explore freely and that can help them reach the keystones to their personal success.