In his book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell introduces what he calls the “10,000 - Hour Rule.” Along with being at the right place at the right time, folks like Bill Gates, The Beatles and J. Robert Oppenheimer were so passionate about what they were doing that they put in at least 10,000 hours of practice during their journey to exceptionality. That’s ten thousand hours, not one thousand. And everyone that Gladwell mentioned most likely had no idea they were putting in so many hours because they just loved what they were doing. They were in the flow: so focused on the task in front of them, that time ceased to exist for a little while.
Being in the flow is not a new concept; most people have experienced it while immersed in something very enjoyable. Career counselors say that if one can find a way to be paid to do what fascinates him or her, that person has truly found his or her vocation, which is more like a life passion instead of just a job. As Confucius said, “The man who loves his job never works a day in his life.”
Some people are lucky enough to have had their vocation fall into their laps. For example, the girl whose mother enrolls her in dance lessons when she’s small comes to realize that she is naturally skilled and would rather do nothing else in life. Most folks, however, stumble upon their passions through life experiences or, in some cases, never find their purpose at all. Those who feel purposeless often sink into a depression or try to cope through unhealthy means, such as drug and alcohol abuse.
Some tips for finding a life passion, vocation or purpose are:
- Try many different things: Only a wide variety of experiences increase the chances of finding a true life passion
- Pay attention: Sometimes, a vocation may be in plain sight, but overlooked on a day-to-day basis
- Focus on enjoyment: A vocation will always be pleasant and almost effortless
- Look for the lesson: In any crisis or difficult life situation, the lesson(s) to be learned is/are just on the other side and may point to a vocation
- Be creative: Sometimes, it takes out-of-the-box thinking to find a true life passion
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