I have no passions and I hate working

A message from one of my newsletter readers stopped me in my tracks this week.

He said:

I have no passions and I hate working. I'm 35 years old, I should be over this by now. But I honestly hate working. I need a new job because I'm just angry all day at work. I have no skills, strengths, passions, dreams, aspirations, or anything. If it were up to me, I'd sit around doing nothing but mindlessly scroll on my phone all day.

Sadly, I’ve heard this same story from more people than I’d care to admit.

Some of us spend years, even decades, doing work that slowly drains our soul. When we keep trying to fit into a mold that suppresses who we really are, it doesn’t just hurt our careers, it destroys our identity.

When we suppress our true selves for too long, that voice doesn’t just fade. It disappears, until we barely recognize the person we’ve become.

If you’ve lost touch with who you are, ask yourself this:

What were my dreams as a kid?

That version of you holds clues to the passions and strengths you’ve buried along the way. Our childhood dreams are a window into our authentic selves, untainted by fear, expectations, or self-doubt.

As kids, we didn’t have the limiting beliefs we carry now. No fear of failure. No worries about money, status, or what others might think.

So, what did you dream of doing? Who did you imagine becoming?

Maybe those dreams don’t appeal to you anymore (and that’s okay). The goal isn’t to chase them literally, but to uncover the clues they hold. Look for the patterns.

• What were you doing in those dreams?
• Why did you want to do it?
• What about it made you feel alive, excited, or energized?

​Those core themes are likely still with you today. The dream might have changed, but the desire underneath it probably hasn’t.

• You may not want to be a rock star, but you still love inspiring others.
• You may not want to fight fires, but you still want to save others.
• You may not want to be an artist, but creation still calls you.
• You may not want to skydive, but adventure still feels like oxygen.

How can you bring those same dreams into work that actually fits your life now?

Use this exercise to uncover clues about your natural strengths and values. I bet you’ll find at least one thread that points toward a path that feels more authentic and more you.

Give it a try and let me know what you discover.

To your success,

-Dan