Life
5 Easy Ways To Get Your Passion Back For Your Career When You Feel You've Lost It
At some point, you may no longer be as excited about your job as you once were. But there are ways to get your job passion back when you feel you've lost it. After all, you know it's hiding within you, somewhere, but you just don't where it's gone lately. Just like with a romantic relationship, you may just need some ways to find it again.
"Do what you love, love what you do," Gwen Lane, Capital One Workshop Lead, tells Bustle. "Where did the passion go? Are you often feeling burnt out? Then you may be feeling like you're no longer excited about what you do. The first thing to do is to be aware of that feeling. It may be a little scary at first and might be easier not to change anything, but what if you embraced this feeling and turned it into excitement? You don't want to spend your whole life, thinking about 'what if.' Figure out what you want to do and create a plan and some action steps. Just take that first step — you got this!"
But what is the first step? Well, it turns out there are several, and you don't necessarily have to do them in order. So if you're wondering how to get your job passion back, keep on reading.
1Identify What Has Changed
Usually with any relationship, a personal one or the one you have with your job, something has changed from how it was before. Now is the time to identify what has happened. "It is important to understand why you have lost your passion and energy in the first place," Katie Bennett, Co-Founder and Certified Coach at Ama La Vida (ALV) Coaching, tells Bustle. "Is it your new micromanager who is constantly on your back? Is it that you're no longer feeling challenged? It is difficult to know how to get your passion back until you know what is deflating it. Once you recognize the key issues, think about practical steps you can take to address them."
2Figure Out Your Likes And Dislikes
Even if you now dread going to work instead of looking forward to it, there must be some things you still enjoy… even if it is just the office Keurig! But, honestly, there must be parts of your job you still like. "Take a step back to explore and discover the passions that drive and motivate you," Bennett says. "Ask yourself some questions, such as 'What projects and conversations energize me at work?' and 'Which meetings and I am excited to attend and which ones do I dread?' Look for the common themes and write a list of your top five professional passions."
3Ask For More Work And Job Responsibilities
I know, you're probably thinking: WTF? More work? But perhaps with your current job, you like it, but some of the tasks have become so routine, you could do them in your sleep. So by asking for extra tasks, not only do you get to switch things up, but your supervisor also sees that you're proactive (read: extra credit points when it comes time to promoting someone in your department). In any case, it's likely that some of the new tasks will get you excited about your job again.
4Get Creative In Making Your Job More Fun
OK so now you have your likes, dislikes, and perhaps some extra work thrown into the mix. "Think of creative ways that you can incorporate your list of top five professional passions more into your work day," Bennett says. "For example, if you are passionate about mentoring, perhaps you can start a mentoring group for new starters or ask your manager if there are any mentoring opportunities within the team. If one of your passions is public speaking, perhaps you can ask your manager if you can present to the team at monthly meetings or if there are any opportunities for you to get more involved in presenting at external conferences and events."
5Remember To Spend Time On Personal Passions, Too
You know how when one thing in your life seems to be going wrong, it bleeds into other areas of your life, too? Well, if you're happy outside of work, it could help you be happy inside of work, as well. Point being — don't forget to focus on your personal passions, too. "Sometimes we think that our passion at work must be directly associated to our role or responsibilities," Bennett says. "In fact, there are many ways to bring your personal passions into your career to make it more enjoyable and exciting. Take some time to reflection your personal passions by asking yourself questions, such as 'If I had a whole weekend to myself, how would I spend it?' and 'What are the things outside of work that bring me joy and energy?' Look for the common themes and write a list of your top five personal passions. Next, think of creative ways to introduce them into your work. For example, if one your passions is 'getting outdoors,' perhaps you could turn two meetings each week into walking meetings. Or if one of your passions is jogging, perhaps you could start a running group that gets together at lunch time."
Let's say you try all the above, but you still feeling something is missing. In that case, you may want to think about changing careers. One way to do that is to explore other interests you have. "Often, professionals are stuck in jobs they don't like because they are unsure what else they could be doing," Kavita Sahai, leading online Coachultant (Coach + Consultant) and Founder of HaveBigPlans.com, tells Bustle. "A good career coach will help you analyze your skills and interests to help you understand what your goals are, and then help you reach them." I definitely agree with Sahai, which is similar to what Lane says above: "Do what you love, love what you do."
