By Katherine Reschke

I strongly believe that everyone can follow their passion - - all they need is a plan. How, though, do you start formulating that plan, if you do not have a good idea of what exactly is your passion? Follow these steps and you will have the first step - - identifying your true passion and the opportunities you could pursue -- that will tap into the joy and purpose of living the life you always wished to lead.

1. Follow the fun and joy. Look at what in your life brings you a sense of joy. What does fun mean to you? Write a list of things and put a star next to the top three. Think about your childhood -- what did you love to do then? What hobbies and past-times do you have? What did you use to do before life became too busy? What gives you that feeling of well-being? What puts a smile on your face? What makes you laugh?

2. Which of these activities are also meaningful to you? Baking a cake is fun for a lot of people but truly meaningful to only a few. Meaning is a very personal thing and normally there is a resonance with some deep part of you. What activities bring you a deep level of satisfaction? Is there a link between the activities that are more significant to you? Try to narrow it down and get as specific as possible. If you believe that it is part of your purpose to help people, then narrow it down to how you would most like to help people. Think about both the ways you enjoy helping and those you do not. For instance, for me nursing would be high on my lists of things I do not want to do. Also, as an example, I prefer to help people with positive things rather than helping them through negative things.

3. What are your present skills and talents? List them all, everything from being able to put on a duvet cover in under 5 minutes to being able to make yourself understood by someone who does not speak the same language as you. Try to really think outside the box. Ask people who know you well to help as sometimes a skill feels so natural to us we assume everyone has it. Are you really good at making people feel comfortable around you? Have you organized your office so that everything is at hand? Also note down areas in which you enjoy learning and could easily acquire new skills in.

4. What are your existing conditions? Do you need a certain income level? Do you have any health challenges? Do you have responsibilities in your life that would have to be taken into consideration such as caring for children or an elderly relative? Do you have a spouse who moves regularly due to the military or a job related reasons? Think about everything that shapes your life that will need to be taken into consideration.

5. Take the list you made at the beginning and start brainstorming possible opportunities. Go W-I-D-E here. If singing is high up on your list, do not just zoom in on rock star; think about everything from singing jingles to karaoke! Let the ideas percolate in your head for a few days and every time you think of an opportunity write it down -- even if it's something you would never actually do as you never know what can spin off from one idea. For example you might know you would never want to own a restaurant, but maybe you would love to be a restaurant critic or have a website devoted to local restaurants.

Look at your five separate lists and start looking for commonalities and things which fit across the board. Look for ways that you could start moving towards living your passion. What would be your next step? Research? Learning a new skill? Putting money aside so you can eventually quit your job? What would be the next step after that? By putting down the next few steps, you have formed yourself a plan that will continue to expand until you have created the life that you always dreamed of and you will have reached it one step at a time.

Katherine Reschke is a Life Passions Coach. With her expert guidance, you can identify and then monetize your passion. She will coach you to a life of joy and significance, giving you the support and know-how to succeed. Visit http://www.passionsthatpay.com

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