Uncovering Your True Passion

Why Exploring the Unknown Unknowns is Key

Let's do a quick mental exercise. For most of us, our passions are an itch within ourselves waiting to find a home. Imagine giving up that soul-sucking job and finding a way to make money from something you actually enjoy doing. Of course, there is often a gap in not being able to see the bridge that takes us from passion to income.

However, what if there was an even larger gap that most people never consider? You may have seen pie charts showing what you know, what you know you don’t know, and (the largest area) what you don’t know you don’t know. The issue is that this passion itch likely rests in the space of what you don’t know you don’t know - your true calling could be in something you aren't even aware exists.

You might think, how is that possible? I know the world around me pretty well. But do you, really? You know movies and actors, but do you understand how films are made? You know firefighters put out blazes but do you grasp what makes someone skilled at that job? You attend concerts but do you have any concept of what it takes to set one up and break it down?

These questions lead to places of admitted ignorance. Yet the real intrigue begins when those answers raise even more questions, sparking curiosity about things you didn't know you were unaware of. The possibilities are endless once you start peering into the shadowy corners of the unknown unknowns.

As personal finance expert Stefanie O'Connell wisely stated in her long-lost post on the internet, "30 Lessons Learned by 30":

"The prevailing myth of passion suggests that it arrives in some magical burst of inspiration, but in reality, passion is uncovered through action, exploration and work."

In other words, passion is not something we simply stumble upon or that is revealed to us in a single moment of clarity. Rather, it is gradually discovered through actively engaging in different pursuits, learning new skills, and steadily expanding our experiences.

Passion emerges when we step outside our comfort zones to try new things. It builds as we acquire knowledge in a subject area. The spark is lit through intentional effort and grit - passion is uncovered more than it is innately known.

So if you sit around frustrated about lacking passion in your career or life path, that mindset is likely the key problem. Stop sitting around! Passion reveals itself when we get moving, not when we stand still wishing for lightning bolt inspiration.

This truth takes pressure off feeling some intense inner fervor from day one in any endeavor. Passion can start as a small ember that grows slowly over time as mastery builds. It means you also don't necessarily need to quit your day job immediately to find your passion. Make that leap when a clear road ahead emerges through all your explorative action, and when NOT pursuing this passion becomes unfathomable.

The key is to take steps - start projects, develop skills, delve into topics that intrigue you. Allow your interests to unfold organically through active engagement rather than passive expectation. Your passion is out there waiting to be discovered through work and dedication. It's time to start uncovering what really makes you tick!

Explore the Uncomfortable

"Be aggressive in private, be robust in your public work. You will sleep well at night." - Nassim Nicholas Taleb

While working your "public" job, challenge yourself by exploring uncomfortable endeavors in your personal time.

In my own random wanderings, I've shadowed firefighters for a day at the FDNY Academy on Randall's Island, worked as a roadie with The Who concert crew, and even scored a few TV extra gigs. Going in, I had little to no prior knowledge about those worlds. But that was the point - I couldn't connect any dots without first stepping into the unknown.

Through those forays and others, I ended up becoming a partner in a film business (though it sadly did not survive the pandemic's challenges) and investing in both a popular health and wellness coffee brand and an intriguing cannabinoid startup. Mind you, I'd never consumed coffee or marijuana before those ventures! (Weird but true)

It was the questions I asked and lessons I learned about things I'd never personally experienced that opened up entirely new worlds. I became so excited by the realization that there was more to cannabinoids than just getting high - benefits like better sleep, lower anxiety and pain without psychoactive effects blew my mind. Similarly, the idea of coffee blended with other ingredients to boost fat-burning energy and sharpen focus without leading to an extreme caffeinated high and crash was a total surprise.

These revelations lit a spark within me - I simply had to become part of the journey for both those businesses. I had absolutely no awareness such fascinating industries and possibilities even existed before. It was questioning assumptions and exploring well outside my daily bubble that pulled back the curtain.

Without such wide exploration, the fulfilling life I have today simply wouldn't exist. And for me, that alternate reality is sad and scary to contemplate. I'm so grateful for where I am now and for the amazing people I work with.

If you're not yet in a happy place in your career or feel you want more from life, start peering under those rocks in unexplored terrain. That's where you're most likely to uncover new possibilities and passions.

True passion is when the concept of "work" fades away, replaced by an intrinsic drive to throw yourself into something each day purely for the fulfillment it brings. It often waits to be discovered in those dim corners where we dare to tread despite discomfort and self-doubt.

Embrace Unexpected Detours

Most of the time, your explorations will not catalyze major life or career changes. However, you may uncover surprising new appreciations for things you previously took for granted.

As a "probie for the day" with the FDNY, I got to wear bunker gear, handle a heavy fire hose, and waddle into darkened buildings filled with contained fire and smoke. Splashed through water-drenched rooms, relying on fellow trainees to have my back as I had theirs. I knew going into it that I personally would never want to be a firefighter. Yet the experience gave me a whole new perspective on what those brave recruits sign up for. I emerged with immense respect for the selflessness, camaraderie and grit that role demands.

The key is pushing past assumptions to uncover new interests and appreciation. Keep diving into unfamiliar areas, driven more by curiosity than envisioned outcomes. Embrace unexpected detours as you meander outside your routine.

You likely won't upend your whole life with each new endeavor. But even modest surprises can substantially shift mindset and perspective.

Who knows...maybe one day you'll stumble upon something that clicks so profoundly, you can't imagine not pursuing it full throttle. Just know that the odds of finding such innate passion increase dramatically when we keep exploring roads unknown.