If you’ve discovered your passion, you know it’s an unmistakable feeling. The excitement when you’ve found your thing, your place in the universe, your space for success, is unlike any other. At first, you’re on fire. You’re ready to take on the world and chase your dreams. And it feels good, for a while.

But eventually, something starts to feel… different.

Maybe you’ve experienced this. Maybe you’ve lost interest in that thing that once pulled you from your cozy bedsheets and into the hustle every day. Your passion was there, you know it was.

So… what happened to it?

What’s Killing Your Passion?

1. Lack of focus

A lack of focus is a surefire way to quickly lose sight of your passion and the goals you set for yourself. What are you giving attention to that isn’t serving your future? Are you spending every evening on the couch in front of the television? Are you sleeping in until noon, then wondering where the day has gone? We’ve all been there. So do what it takes to get out.

When other things are pulling your attention away from what matters, reflect on your ‘why’. Why do you do what you do? What does your passion spark that fire in you? Remind yourself what you’re doing it for, and break the bad habits. Getting back on track is a challenge, but your focus is like a muscle. The more you practice it, the stronger it will be.

2. Social media scrolling

Are you ‘busy’ going for a scroll through Instagram when you could be doing something else? Something better?

Not only can social media be a huge time-waster, it can cause you to start to question yourself. By comparing your day-to-day to the highlight reels online, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

No one is posting their failures.

No one is posting their bad days.

You are doing what you can where you are, and that is more than enough. Get off social and get into the things that matter to you.

3. Outside opinions

The journey your passion takes you on is yours.

Not your parents’, not your partner’s, not your best friend’s, only yours.

We tend to lose sight of our passions when we’re searching for validation from the people around us. Instead of seeking external opinions on where you should go, what you should do, and what your next step should be in the pursuit of the life you want, consider the fact that it is your life.

You spend each waking moment living your life. So why wouldn’t you make it exactly what you want it to be?

Trust your gut. The rest will fall into place.

4. Too many ideas

Having a steady stream of ideas is a wonderful thing…until it’s not. You can have all the ideas in the world, but if you don’t know what to do with those ideas, all of that value is lost.

Get into the habit of recording your ideas. Write them down. If you’re on-the-go and think of something extraordinary, jot it down in a note on your phone. Then, reflect on those ideas. Return to them and see if they spark that same joy as the moment you first thought of them. If so, what’s the next step?

Don’t let good ideas pass you by. Catch them, and transform them into actionable plans for success.

5. Negative self-talk

You can’t embrace the life you want and chase your passions if you spend most of your time putting yourself down. Be kind to yourself.

Each morning, I have some daily affirmations that I write down and say to myself. I use this practice to motivate myself and to keep my mindset in check for the day. Choose some affirmations that work for you, such as ‘I am successful,’ ‘I am loved,’ or ‘I am wealthy.’ Repeat those things to yourself and center your mindset on that positivity. Getting into the right headspace is the first step to getting back on track with your goals.

6. Ignoring it

Too often, we know in our gut what our passion is, but we ignore it. We think it’s unrealistic or we worry over the opinions of others, and we push it away. Don’t deny yourself the life you truly want!

Reflect on the limiting beliefs you’ve set in place. Why do you believe them, and why should they stand in the way of your passion? What can you do to combat those beliefs?

Stop ignoring your passion and start interrogating the thoughts surrounding it. After all, you are not your thoughts. Just because you happen to think it does not make it true.

7. Lack of self-belief

Sometimes, the biggest reason we don’t pursue our passion is a fear of failure. We anticipate failure for ourselves and we become paralyzed by that anxiety.

But how else can you learn?

I hate the cliche of ‘don’t be afraid to fail.’ But seriously, take that to heart. Without failure, you won’t learn something new. You won’t build that confidence. You won’t make progress. And at the end of the day, the goal is just that — to make progress.

Let go of that fear of failure. Embrace the mistakes, because they are the things teaching you more about your passion.

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QOTD: What helps you when you’re not feeling connected to your passion?