We all want to follow our passions. However, a lot of the time, it can feel like there’s always something in our way. Here’s the secret, most of the time, it’s us. We get in our way or start to believe we deserve lesser than others. Still, we shouldn’t have to give up the one thing that brings us happiness. Sometimes the journey of finding your passions or simply getting back to them is the best part of life. These five books have shown me that. I hope they do the same for you. Start putting your passions first for once.
1. The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau
The Happiness of Pursuit is a book that will challenge you in the best way. It serves as a guide for people to take back control of their lives. Undoubtedly, Guillebeau is goal-driven which is why he set out on a quest to visit all of the planet’s countries by age thirty-five. To answer your question, yes, he did it. During his travels, he met people with the same big aspirations as him. He felt compelled to find the link between questing and long-term happiness.
Therefore, Guillebeau decided to complete an extensive study on the subject. In this book, he details interviews with hundreds of questers like himself. The interviewees reveal their secret motivations, criteria, and the role of friends and family play in their quests. In addition, they reveal their tricks to problem-solving and emphasize the need to document everything. Not only does Guillebeau study the journey, but he also observes the aftermath of completing one’s quest. What happens after you reach your goal or finally follow your passion? Read the book to find out. The joy of the journey may be the best secret of all.
2. The Passion Test by Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood
Many people know their passions, but what about those still searching? The Passion Test provides you with the reassurance that it’s normal to be unsure. This book reads like a self-guide to help you identify your top five passions to live out your most fulfilling life. Janet Bray Attwood and Chris Attwood have inspired many readers to live according to what matters most to them.
While illuminating the map to your passion, this book also provides a step-by-step guide to achieving your passions. Most importantly, the authors emphasize the difference between goals and passions. The difference is what you need to do versus how you want it to be. Another lesson is that your attention is just as important as your intention. This self-help guide is perfect for anyone trying to discover their deepest desires and putting them to the test. The book answers these two questions, “What is your passion?” and “Are you ready to attract it?” The book provides you with exercises, stories, and interviews with people whose passions have successfully come to fruition.
3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is probably one of my favorite books of all time. If you haven’t read it, you desperately need to. Paulo Coelho’s inspiring novel is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago, who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried near the Pyramids. While on his journey, Santiago finds many treasures before his destination. However, every treasure brings a new lesson for him. Sometimes, we think we know what we want before we have it. Coelho also teaches us a valuable lesson in life that not everything we’re told to want is what we need.
Quests are an essential part of following your passions. Without the journey, there’s no story. Who wants to read a story where the main character gets everything they want in the first chapter? It’s never really about the destination, either. The Alchemist teaches you that if you believe in your passion wholeheartedly and care more about the exciting journey, you will never fail. Lessons are abundant and rewarding. There are many profound takeaways in this novel. It’s a great read for anyone stuck in self-doubt or in need of a push in the right direction.
4. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
The Gifts of Imperfection is not just another self-help book but a revolution in fulfillment. Brené Brown is an American research professor and author, well-known for her research on shame, vulnerability, and leadership. She describes her motivational book as “an invitation to join a wholehearted revolution. A small, quiet, grassroots movement that starts with each of us saying, ‘My story matters because I matter.’ Revolution might sound a little dramatic, but in this world, choosing authenticity and worthiness is an absolute act of resistance.”
Although this book doesn’t solely focus on passions, I believe its teachings are necessary for gaining the confidence to have them. You deserve to follow your passions as much as everyone else. This guidebook also gives readers the 10 guideposts for wholehearted living. All her posts pertaining to cultivating new skills help to achieve your best life and leave societal ideas of imperfection behind. The book covers the importance of authenticity, self-compassion, a resilient spirit, gratitude, creativity, play and rest, calmness, meaningful work, and being able to let go.
5. The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari by Robin Sharma
The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is one of the most inspiring self-help fables of all time. Robin Sharma is a well-respected writer, motivational speaker, and humanitarian. In the book, Julian Mantle, a lawyer experiencing a spiritual crisis, embarks on a journey of life-changing wisdom that allows him to transform his life into one filled with passion, purpose, and peace. Similar to The Passion Test, this book provides a step-by-step approach to creating your dream life. However, the dream life is much more attainable than one would think.
Additionally, the story is reflective of Sharma’s life experiences after he left his career as a litigation lawyer at the age of 25. When you’re on the journey of finding your true passions, there will be some setbacks. However, this book shows you how to rebuild yourself and teaches you to prioritize the things that bring you life-long happiness. Sharma points out that the more you work on your inner-self or world, the better the outer life will be for you. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize yourself and your passions. No one else can do it for you.
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