Pay Attention to What Excites You

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Be honest with yourself about what sparks you and take action on it. Don't worry about finding your one true "passion." That's too abstract of a concept to figure out logically. Instead, start by acting on the small things that excite you each day.

Get in the habit of recognizing and acting on the small things that you feel drawn to. These things will eventually lead you to the bigger, more meaningful things that you may define as your "passion" or "purpose."

This process works because excitement is an organizing and unifying energy. All excitement interconnected.

In other words, the "small" things that excite you or spark joy are connected to your bigger desires, even if you can’t see how. Even if they seem mundane, trivial or unrelated to your larger goals, the excitement tells you that they ARE connected.

Your conscious brain does not need to know how they are connected. That is the job of the subconscious mind.

Bottom line: Do not invalidate the things that excite you just because they seem trivial or because you can't see how they tie into your "big picture goals." It's not your job to know how it's all connected, it is your job to honor what excites you by ACTING on it.

The Utility of Obstacles

Imagine if you had no challenges, no struggles at all. Everything you ever wanted you already had and anything you could ever want in the future required no effort to get.

What kind of life would that be? Not a human one, that’s for sure.

The truth is, we need resistance. We need something to push back against. In fact, we thrive on it. As the legendary Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote, "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

Here are three ways obstacles can actually be useful:

1.) OBSTACLES FORCE US TO THINK DIFFERENTLY
When we face challenges head on, we force ourselves to find innovative solutions that we otherwise wouldn't have thought of. In fact, we often perform BETTER in the face of challenges. We rise to the occasion. And during this process, we also create value for others, even if it's just being a shining example of what's possible.

2.) OBSTACLES PROVIDE CLARITY
If you're unsure about what area of your life to focus on or what your next steps should be, start by identifying your biggest obstacle or disadvantage, then work on overcoming it. That's where you'll find the most excitement and satisfaction. When you have a clearly defined problem to deal with, as opposed to generalized anxiety or fear, the path you must take suddenly becomes much clearer.

3.) OBSTACLES ARE OFTEN BLESSINGS IN DISGUISE
Think of all the times you've reflected on seemingly unfortunate events months or years after the fact and realized they were actually blessings in disguise. Why wait to do this retrospectively? Realize now that the problem in front of you might actually be the best thing for you.

A personal note: It was my own struggle with understanding and remembering certain personal development principles that compelled me to translate these concepts into clear and simple language to improve my own learning. This habit eventually led to the creation of @thinkgrowprosper, which has brought me a great deal of joy and satisfaction.

P.S. Check out my podcast episode with Ryan Holiday for more thoughts on using obstacles to our advantage.