Ever wonder what it’s like to live a fulfilling life? A life filled with passion and purpose?
Are you on a self-discovery journey and you want to get a better understanding of who you are?
Do you have multiple passions and can’t decide on which one to choose from?
Or maybe you feel lost and you need a simple system to help you get started on your own path and life purpose.
Whatever the reason may be, you’re here because ultimately, you want to live your life’s dreams. You want to live a life that is truly your own.
I’m here to tell you that it’s okay if you don’t know what your personal passion is yet. You might even feel like you have too many passions, and that is perfectly fine as well.
Finding your passion and life’s purpose are not as clear-cut as you might imagine.
We have so many choices these days and so much to distract us that it’s no wonder we have trouble finding our passions in life or choosing which one is the right one.
In my personal experience, one of the best ways to get started is by reading books.
Books can be an excellent way to find your passion in life because they offer a different perspective that allows for reflection and different points of view.
There are a lot of books that promise to help you find your passion, but which is the best one? How do you separate the great books from the rest of the other books?
After doing a lot of my own reading on the subject of finding your passion, and dabbling in a lot of different passions, I’ve put together a reading list of the best books about finding your passion in life.
These books have helped me tap into my inner wisdom to discover my passions in life and I hope they do the same for you!
1. The Artist’s Way.
The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron, is a great book if you want to find your passion in life in a way that is simple and organized. This book can help connect you to your passions by rediscovering your inner artist.
According to the author, creative blocks are what stand between you and your big dreams. These blocks are things like fear of being successful, fear of failure, or fear of looking like a fool.
In order to overcome your fears, you have to do the work, which usually takes time and effort. You also have to treat your inner artist like you would a precious object because it is as important to your well-being as eating, sleeping, and exercising.
2. Find Your Passion.
Find Your Passion is a book written by Henri Junttila. Unlike some other books on the topic, this one is concise but contains powerful questions to help you find your passions in life.
There are 25 questions in the book and they are deep and thought-provoking, so I would suggest taking your time with each one if you want to achieve success with it.
Each question is a small chapter that contains prompts that act as your guide as you work through the book.
As you answer each question, you also get a chance to explore your roadblocks, which are the things that hold you back in life.
3. The Element.
“The Element is the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion.” – The Element, Ken Robinson, et al
The Element by Ken Robinson is a New York Times bestseller that was published in 2009. If you want a book about discovering your passion and purpose in life, then this book will lead you in the right direction.
The book is full of stories of people who have been successful in finding their passion in life by doing what they were called to do and being in “the Element.”
The stories are used to illustrate what it’s like to be in your own element, or being in the flow. When you find your passion and combine it with what you’re naturally gifted at, then you are in the Element.
Sir Ken Robinson was an author, teacher, and advocate for education. He also has TED Talks that you can watch or listen to on YouTube.
4. The Passion Test.
This is a book written by Janet and Chris Attwood. Your passion is about knowing what you ttruly want in life and taking the steps necessary to get you there.
Most people don’t know their passion because they’re not clear on what they want in life. This book shows you how you can create a life full of passion and meaning.
The book emphasizes that you don’t need to know how you’re going to manifest all the things you want in your future, you just need to know what exactly it is that you want.
You do this by writing it down through what is called a passion test, which you can read all about in the book. The test doesn’t take very long, but it asks a series of questions that make you clear on the things that matter most to you in life.
5. The Renaissance Soul.
Are you the type of person who loves learning new things all at once? Does your brain need to be challenged often because you get bored easily? When you write about your dream job, do you list out more than one? Is it hard for you to keep your focus on a career you no longer find stimulating?
The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine is a great book for you if you’re a multi-passionate person. The book outlines what it means to be a “Renaissance soul”, which is someone who prefers variety over single-minded focus, prefers a job that emphasizes growth over rigidity, and defines success as challenges one has mastered.
If you want a book that will inspire you to pursue your passions without feeling guilty about it, then this one is your go to.
6. The Happiness of Pursuit.
The Happiness of Pursuit is written by Chris Guillebeau. Chris Guillebeau is an entrepreneur & avid traveler who has had a couple of bestselling books. He visited every country in the world (193 total) before he turned 35.
He takes the lessons from his travels and puts them into his book to inspire you to go on your own quest to pursue your passions and your calling.
The book is also full of stories and practical exercises that help you follow your inner compass so you can create a path to finding purpose while pursuing your passions in life.
7. Big Magic.
I was captivated by the first lines of this book when I first read it and I couldn’t put it down. Elizabeth Gilbert is the author of Big Magic and her words have the ability to put you under a spell.
Like all the other books on this list, this one talks about our fear of living a passionate life. The path to creativity is being fearless and brave.
When we’re able to live with less fear, we can create with more freedom and ideas flow to us like magic.
If you want a book tthatt will leave you with a feeling of joy, lightness, and inspiration, then big magic is for you.
Other books on finding your passion in life.
The Alchemist.
The Alchemist is a fictional story that is written by Paolo Coehlo that is both inspiring and entertaining. It challenges you to find your passion in life by looking inward and following your heart with courage.
The story is about a shepherd boy named Santiago who goes on a quest to find a treasure, only to discover that his treasure was in the place he least expected to find it.
Though it’s a fictional work, the book can teach you to follow your passions with bravery because the protagonist in the story is eternally curious and courageous despite the challenges he faces and eventually overcomes.
You Are a Badass.
You Are a Badass is a book written by Jen Sincero, who is a New York Times best selling author, speaker, and coach. This book is full of anecdotes and lessons that the author learned from her days as a struggling musician.
You’ll be inspired seek your own passions in life as you read this book.
Sincero gives advice on how to live your life fearlessly like a badass in a way that is practical, no BS, hilarious, and uplifting.
Things to consider on your path to finding your passions in life.
Now that you have a great starting point for your journey to finding your passions in life, I wanted to give you some tips that can make your quest go as smooth as possible.
I hope these tips help answer any questions you might have and give you the resources to overcome challenges that you may encounter as you go through your journey.
Why is it important to find your passion?
It’s important to find your passions in life because they are things that you want to explore, even if they won’t result in income or earnings. When you give yourself a chance to try them out, you will be able o figure out what you truly love.
Passions can be the gateway to your calling. When I was young, I was passionate about many things. Did I try them all out? No. But I did dabble in a lot of the things I was passionate about.
At one point in my life I had a long list of passions. I wanted to be a fashion designer, doctor, professional skateboarder, and concert pianist all at once.
I did a lot of things unrelated to each other but the point is, I allowed myself to pursue them, if not all of them. Did I succeed in doing them all? Again, no.
My interest in some of my passions waned throughout the years. The ones that stuck with me were the once I chose to continue and even made a career out of.
When you’re just starting out, it’s important to explore different passions so you know which ones to hone, which ones to continue, and which ones are fleeting.
Your passions might lead to something big later on like your career or business. They can help you prioritize the things that are most important to you. They can also lead to something fulfilling, like a hobby or something you do just for fun.
What does finding your passion feel like?
When you find your passions in life, some of the feelings that might come up are lightness, freedom, comfort, security, familiarity, joy, happiness, excitement, and infatuation.
When you’re pursuing your passions, you can be so caught up in them that you lose track of time.
It takes bravery to go after your passions because you risk the safety of your comfort zone. You may become fearful as a result and risk putting your passions aside because of intense feelings.
Here are some tips to help you overcome your fears about finding your passions in life.
1. LET GO.
Letting go can be hard. One of the things that’s hardest to let go of are your beliefs, particularly limiting beliefs. Limiting beliefs are things that hold you back in life and you may not be aware of them.
Some examples are: “I don’t want to do it because I’m not good enough” or “I can’t do that because I’m not (fill in the blank) .”
You learn your beliefs from the people who raised you, people you regularly interact with, and your environment.
Be aware of anything that you think is standing in the way between you and your passions. When you’re aware of them and you’re ready, you can let go of them and give yourself permission to pursue your passions in life.
2. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF.
Oftentimes we are not completely honest with ourselves when it comes to finding what we truly want in life because we’re afraid of what others might think or that we might even hurt someone we care about.
You have to be honest with yourself if you want to know what your true passions are. Allow yourself the freedom to explore your passions if you want to live a life that feels authentic, meaningful, joyful, happy, fulfilling, and purposeful.
3. DON’T GET TOO ATTACHED.
Don’t get too attached to your passions, or your goals for that matter. Your passions might change over time and that’s okay. Sometimes you just outgrow them.
You don’t have to stay attached to them when you know it’s time to move on. Enjoy the process while you’re in it and remember that you’re always evolving.
Growth and change are a natural part of life and the best thing you can do for yourself is not to stay too attached to anything, not even your passions.
4. TRUST YOUR GUT.
What do you do when you just can’t find your passions in life? You trust your gut. There’s a reason why they call your gut your second brain.
Your body knows when something is right for you. You know the feeling when you’ve made the right choice. Everything inside of you lights up. You need to trust in yourself enough to follow your instinct and pursue your passions.
5. TAKE ACTION.
It’s one thing to know what your passions are, but it’s a whole other thing to act on them.
You can’t live your passions without taking action. When the time is right, you’ll know when you’re ready to live a life full of passion and take it to another level.
You will discover that your passion is something that you want to do for the rest of your life. Or you may find you didn’t really like the thing you were passionate about and move on.
But you won’t find out until you try.
“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” – Nelson Mandela
Bottom Line.
It can be intimidating when you want to pursue something you feel very strongly about because there may be risks involved.
And you have to weigh your pros and cons as well; but if you want to experience what it’s like to pursue your passions, you just have to do it.
If you have to, start with something small and inviting, like reading a good book about finding your passions and purpose in life.
I hope you enjoyed this list of great books about finding your passion in life and my tips for helping your journey feel smoother and less scary.
If you’re just starting out on your journey of self-discovery and would like some ideas, be sure to read, A list of over 130 passions to inspire and motivate you and 75 exciting passion project ideas to spark your creativity.
