Passion to Purpose to Profession

Everyone is born with a purpose. But, it is up to you to recognize what you are born to do. Start with your passion….the thing(s) you absolutely love to do.

I know someone who quickly comes to mind when I think about being born with a purpose…my nephew, Dominique. I knew he was something special while waiting patiently during his birth. Fast forward to 25 years later, Dominique has always shown an innate artistic talent in everything he does…everything from writing music, to drawing images as well as designing shoe art and even having a keen eye when it comes to photography…his first love.

Although gifted in many areas, Dominique has shown a consistent love for photography. This love has helped him to hone in on his passion. By way of self-teachings and identifying additional resources Dominique has effectively established his network and has also surrounded himself with other talented people who have helped to cultivate his passion to discover his purpose to pursue his profession.

Dominique has made a name for himself. Not only has he accomplished this among our own family-unit, but he also has a presence within his local community. His community presence has created opportunities for others in the world to enjoy and appreciate his craft. By way of the community, Dominique’s visibility has been heightened via various social media sites as well as other channels such as the RAW Artists organization. His self-promotional efforts have successfully landed him multiple bookings to capture special occasions both personal and professional. Through his photography he’s even committed himself to support the success of others and creates promotional materials to help kick-start their profession.

In addition to his pursuits as a professional photographer, Dominique is also committed to the balancing act that comes along with having a regular full-time role at a reputable company. He is dedicated to his work ethic of maintaining his current responsibilities while effectively managing the sacrifices that come along with pursuing his passion.

The thought of Dominique bringing his passion to life and pursuing his purpose makes me proud. What a wonderful opportunity it is as an auntie to watch him grow and be a part of his journey. It’s such an honor that he comes to me and trusts me with his dreams and the little bit that I think I know. But little does he know I’m the one learning from him. It’s through our conversations that I get to apply his actions to my everyday life and our interactions have also kept me conscious of my passion and purpose. You’re probably wondering, “Well, how did he successfully turn his passion into purpose?” Here is the formula:

Value Your Passion

We all are designed to be great at something. Some of us are great speakers, some are crafty or artistic, and some of us are born analyzers. When we reflect on our strengths, we should take time to think about which of these makes us the most happy. At the intersection of talent (“I was born to do this”) and joy (“I am happiest when I’m…”) is where you will find your passion.

Understand Your Purpose

Once you have identified your passion, the next and crucial step is to find a way to channel that passion so that it not only enriches you, but also benefits the people around you, your community, and the world at large. Every individual has gifts and talents that can make a lasting impact. In Dominque’s case, that purpose involved applying his passion for photography to the benefit of his community.

Make it Your (Unique) Profession

When you combine your passion with something that’s useful to the world, that’s where you’ll find synergy. And, this is where you can make some money! Think about differentiation: Based on your own set of unique gifts and talents what are you able to offer that is different from everyone else? For example, if you are a great cook and love making fresh, healthy food, you can differentiate yourself by showing how delicious food can be using only farm fresh ingredients.

Through technology, the world is literally at our fingertips. With the touch of a button, we can go online and connect with thousands of people all over the world. We can instantly find other people who share the same interests, values, and concerns, as well as connecting with those that are just as passionate as you are about your idea. We live in exciting times to be able to leverage those connections to spread your passion, practice your purpose, and build your profession!

Be sure to brainstorm the various ways to make money by way of your passion. Make this part fun! Kick-off an event to showcase your new service or product. The showcase can take place via a festival or a community organization. You can also sell your product/service on-line or allocate space in a store. You can also serve as a consultant! You are the creator of your product/service, so stand behind what you are offering as an expert. This is a fantastic way of educating others to get them started and leading them down the path of success, just as you’ve done.

Each of us have tremendous opportunities to create, connect and yep—earn a wonderful living! So just do! Take it from me – and Dominique!