{"id":214638,"date":"2020-07-30T07:00:48","date_gmt":"2020-07-30T11:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virtualvocations.com\/blog\/?p=214638"},"modified":"2026-04-30T21:05:38","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:05:38","slug":"how-to-find-your-passion-remote-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virtualvocations.com\/blog\/telecommuting-survival\/inspiration-motivation\/how-to-find-your-passion-remote-worker\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Find Your Passion as a Remote Worker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated October 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The modern dichotomy of humankind \u2014 find your passion or find success. It would seem \u2014 at least to the uninitiated \u2014 that these are mutually exclusive events. But just because you haven’t found your passion yet doesn’t mean that the idea is moot. And while everyone defines passion or success in a different way, most can agree that one aspect stands out: happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet if you’ve struggled to find your passion, you’re certainly in the majority. According to a Deloitte study, only 13% of Americans are passionate about their jobs<\/a>. While this figure could be the result of how people define passion, the overarching idea is that most people never <\/em>find their passion. Or at least they never discover it in an occupational sense. But don’t give up hope. By adhering to a few principles and ideas, you can \u2014 hopefully \u2014 identify, discover, and pursue your passion.<\/p>\n\n\n

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“Not all those who wander are lost.” \u2013J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Fellowship of the Ring”<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Don’t Subscribe to Insanity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The words “insanity” and “insane” are often used to describe mental illnesses, shock, or as an exclamation. But perhaps the best definition of the word comes from the mind of Albert Einstein. According to Einstein, insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” If you hate your job or are waiting for some stroke of luck or happenstance to occur \u2014 every day you go to work, you’re technically insane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t hold that idea as a derogatory statement about yourself. On the contrary, you need to realize that finding your passion isn’t something that just happens. It not only requires you to do some soul-searching, but it may also require a dedication to whatever passion you have. As the ever-quotable writer Charles Bukowski once wrote:<\/p>\n\n\n

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“Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I\u2019m not going to make it, but you laugh inside \u2014 remembering all the times you\u2019ve felt that way.”<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The little tricks your mind plays can often detract from finding your passion. Self-doubt, lack of self-discipline, and a bunch of outside factors weigh you down. As much as finding your passion presents fulfillment, it also tests who you are as a person. With that said, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed and even a bit fearful. The idea is to take those feelings and use them to push you toward your passion. Finding a passion isn’t just identifying it; it’s working every day toward it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Should you really follow your dreams without regard for anything else?<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Become a Professional<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Some industries are notoriously difficult to break into, with special notoriety given to the arts. Painters don’t gain fame until they die. Bands happen to play a show for six people, and one of them ends up being a talent scout. Actors end up getting their breaks as an extra that a director grows particularly fond of. The stories of luck go on and on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet to some degree it isn’t luck. Each of these scenarios involved a person who had the fortitude and confidence to put their plan into action. But it didn’t just happen. Behind each of these individuals are thousands of hours of disciplined practice \u2014 much of which outsiders never see or even consider. Again, Bukowski articulates this idea candidly:<\/p>\n\n\n

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“If you\u2019re going to try, go all the way. There is no other feeling like that. You will be alone with the gods, and the nights will flame with fire. You will ride life straight to perfect laughter. It\u2019s the only good fight there is.”<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

So take direction. Making your passion the purpose in your life isn’t as easy as opening the door. It also takes professionalism and work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Don’t Quit Your Day Job…Yet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you’re making good money and have superb benefits. If that’s the case, don’t quit your day job as you pursue your passion. Most jobs built on passion are the result of a long process. You identify the passion, start it as a side-hustle, or even freelance to start<\/a>. While you may think that the loss of income may light a fire under you, that’s not always the case. Panic isn’t conducive to starting a new venture, and the last thing you need to feel is regret for quitting your job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of the fiscal nature of switching careers<\/a> or from a higher-paying position to an entry-level one, put your financial well-being near the top of your priority list. If you’re lucky, perhaps your passion and your current position intersect to some degree. If that’s the case, you may not even have to start at the bottom of the totem pole. So even if you have a high from finding your passion, reject the urge to suddenly resign from your current work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Questions to Ask Yourself to Help Find Your Passion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brainstorming is the ideal place to start when you want to find your passion. This may help narrow the scope of the all-encompassing questions of existentialism: “What do I want to do with my life?” and “What’s my purpose?” These are intense questions that can’t necessarily be answered with ease. But before you work up to those questions, start with some easier ones regarding your passion:<\/p>\n\n\n