I’m on a mission to bring passion to the masses. I’ve got my work cut out for me, I know. Half the people out there are dissatisfied with their work. Barely one in five actually find their work energizing.

I’m convinced that one reason for the disconnect is that people don’t realize how simple it is to start bringing passion into the picture.

In fact, it’s insanely simple. Here’s how: Figure out who you are, then make choices so you can be that. That’s all there is to it. Easy, huh? OK, if you want a little more to go on, let’s start with my definition of passion: “Passion is the energy that comes from bringing more of YOU into what you do.”

In essence, passion comes from being who you are. When your work is in synch with how you’re naturally wired, it energizes you. Unfortunately most of us aren’t consciously aware enough of who we are to purposefully make career decisions that incorporate it. We’re taught to focus on action and achievement, not introspection, and we end up flying blind as a result.

I want to offer a concrete, practical way to “bring more of YOU into what you do” into the picture. In my e-book, The Occupational Adventure Guide, I describe the idea of creating an internal compass called the Passion Core. It’s a tool you can use to evaluate decisions and identify opportunities.

How do you create your Passion Core? Simple. First ask what you love doing (work or play), and then ask why? Identify the underlying characteristics. Think of it as reverse engineering to find the raw building blocks. When I ask why I love travel photography, I find that a big reason is the exploration and discovery involved. That same exploration and discovery is a key ingredient in almost everything I’ve loved throughout my life (including my Passion Catalyst work). It’s a vital underlying characteristic.

Gathering the resulting insights in one place gives you passion-focused decision tool. For example, you can look at a potential job and ask, “How well does this align with these underlying characteristics?” You can do the same with any choice you make. Simply ask the question, “Will this bring me closer to alignment with what energizes me, or farther away?”

Creating your Passion Core takes the heart-based passion decision and puts it in the realm that the analytical mind can understand as well.

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