As children, we spend hours dreaming of turning our greatest passions into a sensational career. (Astronaut! Athlete! Cookie tester!) But, all too often we settle into a stifling 8-to-5 job because it’s a whole lot of work trying to live up to those ambitious dreams. You’d rather take the easy job that doesn’t present a struggle. But that's no way to live!

You've heard the old Confucius saying, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." And it’s true. Think about it… what does the word 'work' make you picture? If you’re not passionate about your job, it probably conjures up images of traffic jams, baggy eyelids, aimless meetings, mundane tasks and a less-than-amicable boss. Work without passion makes us unhappy, tired and, let's face it, boring.

But work doesn't have to be that way.

It may be risky. It may be crazy. But passion is what brings the greatest joys and achievements of life. You owe it to yourself to wake up with excitement and enthusiasm. So how can you step out of the mundane and into a life of passion?

1. Assess Your Current Scenario

Before you can jump into a life full of living out your passions, you need to discover what you’re truly passionate about. It may be even be something that is sitting right in front of you, but you have never been motivated enough to take the risk. To find out, ask yourself some simple questions: What do you enjoy at your current job? What do you hate? How do you find yourself spending your free time?

Once you have identified your passion points, volunteer to take part in new projects at work that let you be more hands-on with your interests. If no opportunities pop up, try following a hobby that involves your passion, or see what other fields will allow you to spend more time doing what you love.

2. Visualize Your Goals

Start by writing down what you hope to achieve. Read about others who turned their passions into lifelong success. What qualities helped them succeed? What lessons can you take away from their experiences?

3. Make Passion A Priority

Start by taking small steps to integrate your passion into your life. Carve out a set time for your passions, and stick to it. Find a space that keeps out distractions and lets you focus, that way you can be smart with your time. It may be hard to jump back into your passion after years of pushing it to the backburner, and that's okay.

4. Hone Your Craft

You'll likely want to brush up on your skills. Enroll in a course or two to shake off the dust. Many universities and organizations offer low-cost or even free courses on a variety of practical topics such as website coding, graphic design, and creative writing. Find a few related to your passion and apply. The internet is also an endlessly helpful resource for researching and learning practically anything, so get clicking!

5. Make Sacrifices

The job of your dreams probably won't drop out of the sky onto your lap. In fact, you may even have to create that job yourself. So be prepared to put in the extra time and effort into researching your passion and unlocking ways to pursue it in your life. You may find that your current workplace offers a position you have always wanted, but involves a lot of work to get to that point. Don’t shy away from working extra hours on projects you are passion about - even if they are outside your job description. Yes, you're putting in more work. But you're also creating opportunity for the future. And that's worth it.

6. Uncover What Makes You Unique

After developing your craft, it's time to face one of the biggest challenges of turning your passion into a breadwinner: marketing. Think carefully about the image you want to convey to your audience. What makes you stand out among the crowd? This can be a tough question to answer, so it might help to get external feedback. Ask your friends and family what they admire about you. Can you integrate their answers into your brand identity? If someone walks up to you and asks you what you do and why you like doing it, can you answer clearly and confidently? This is key to bringing your dreams a step closer to reality.

7. Share Your Passion With Anyone And Everyone

Once you have a solid grasp on what passion you want to follow in your life, spread the word. Start a blog that allows you to talk about all the different areas of your interest, from what you think about current trends to details of how you’re working to pursue your passion every day. Also be sure to post related articles on your social media accounts so that you can share your knowledge and craft with those around you. You never know what type of connection may come across your online profile and could help you with achieving your dream - so show them just how passionate you are!

8. Find People Who Are Just As Passionate

Know that you're not the only one embarking on this journey. In the age of the internet, it's easy to find people who share your interests. Join a group that meets regularly to talk about your passions and share valuable tips and words of encouragement. Meeting like-minded individuals will help fill you with positive energy, promote creativity, and keep you inspired on your journey. Find and surround yourself with encouraging people, and avoid people who try to cloud you with negativity.

9. Network Like Crazy

Be crazy active on your blog and social media pages. Link to people and businesses related to your industry. Ask questions, participate in discussions, and give feedback. While the internet is undoubtedly valuable in this respect, don't count out face-to-face meetings. Keep an eye out for seminars and conventions in your area. All are wonderful opportunities to meet potential customers and business partners. Have plenty of business cards at the ready. Give out and collect as many as you can. Follow up with your new acquaintances after the event. Invite them to lunch to share ideas and feedback.

If you followed all these tips, you're well on your way to doing what you love for a living. Keep polishing your skills, stay positive, and never stop networking and listening to feedback. Once you get into the groove of spending time on your passion each day, you'll find it easier to keep at it.

Are you looking to work for a company that supports your passions and encourages you to do what you love every day? Apply for one of our open positions.  We are looking for super passionate, excited people to work every day towards their dreams (and help us reach ours!)