Is the JOY Missing In Your Passion?
On our free monthly coaching call, my friend, a stage manager, shared how she was craving stability and steadier income and planned to quit the business. Can you relate?
She made up her mind to work a few more shows and be done. And what did she discover? Her interactions on the job were smoother, and talks with producers about potential projects were lighthearted and easier. She was finding joy again in that business she was ready to quit.
Things had a different flow and energy because she had stopped putting overwhelming pressure on herself: to be perfect on one job in order to get the next, to be good enough to keep advancing, to keep making money. She wanted to know: How can I keep this feeling of ease and joy if I don’t actually quit?!
Attachment To An Outcome
How can we feel satisfied on a job or be truly present for a performance if we're obsessing about the outcome or the next step? Often, this attachment to a result makes us forget why we wanted to be there in the first place.
This isn’t to say we'll never crave giving a great performance, or need to work to make money, but if too much of our energy is devoted to creating the perfect outcome, we deprive ourselves (and everyone else) of our true nature, our joy and our passion.
What happens if we let go of the attachment to the outcome? We give ourselves freedom to let things flow naturally, find space for creative thoughts and solutions to arise, and get perspective to know that if we mess up, it isn't the end of the world. We start to find our joy again.
Certainty
It isn't abnormal that we fixate on a certain outcome. All humans have a need for some degree of certainty in life.
But, because we’re human, we also have a need for uncertainty/variety. We have to find a balance that works for us. And the more uncertainty you can deal with, the happier you will be!
We can train ourselves to become more comfortable with uncertainty. We can do this in small, simple ways such as taking a different route to work or getting lost on purpose somewhere (No GPS? Whaaat?!) Or maybe by volunteering on a project or an event we wouldn't normally be involved with.
In the same way, if we have a great deal of uncertainty in our lives, finding small amounts of certainty goes a long way. For example, you can automate one small thing, like what you are going to have for breakfast this week, so that you don't stress about one. more. decision.
That simple choice can save some of that brain-power for other things, like prepping for an audition or deciding on a networking event.
Have you quit something or embraced uncertainty to re-ignite a passion? I know I have! Share your stories in the comments below!
Now, there may be a time when finances are creating a roadblock, and you need to find a different solution or a way to make things work where you are right now. We've all been there. In April, the My Big Year coaching group will be focusing on the theme "Finding a side job you love, or loving the one you're in". If you're interested in learning more, check out a free 30 day trial here.