It’s time to explore what truly excites you outside of your 9-5. Let’s dig into your passions, experiment with new ideas, and figure out what makes you feel alive. Your passions are the fuel that will drive you forward. When you align your career or business with what you genuinely enjoy, you’ll stay motivated even on tough days.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Oprah Winfrey

Experiment with Interests: Think of this like dating—try different things before you settle. Take on small projects or hobbies that excite you. Sign up for online courses (Open Universities Australia is a great place to start) or try out a new skill you’ve always been curious about.

Volunteer or Freelance: Get real-world experience by volunteering or freelancing in areas you’re interested in. This is a low-risk way to test the waters and see what truly excites you. According to a study, 45% of Australians who volunteer do so to learn new skills or gain experience​.

Network in New Circles: Attend events, workshops, or meet ups to connect with people in the fields you’re exploring. Sites like Eventbrite can help you find local events. The more you engage with people already doing what you want to do, the clearer your path will become.

Reflect on Past Experiences to Find Clues

Your past is full of clues about what you’re good at and what brings you joy. By understanding what has energized you in the past, you can create a future that feels just as exciting.

• Do a Career Wave Line Exercise: Write down every job you’ve ever had, starting from your high school days. Next to each role, jot down the key skills you gained. Add the sources of satisfaction and sources of dissatisfaction from each. These are your building blocks for a future career or business that feels aligned.

• Identify What Intrigues You: Ask yourself, “What sections of a library or bookstore am I drawn to?” The topics that captivate you, even when you’re just browsing, can point toward a potential career or business idea.

• Review Significant Life Experiences: Reflect on moments that have shaped you—moving abroad, navigating a big challenge, or achieving a personal goal. Chances are, there’s something you’ve done that others would pay to learn from. For example, starting a business after overcoming a personal struggle can make you uniquely positioned to help others do the same.

• Reconnect with What Made You Happy as a Child

  Childhood joys can reveal what you naturally love to do. Often, our purest interests emerge when we’re kids, unburdened by expectations or societal pressures. Think back to activities that brought you joy as a child. Was it organizing your room, building forts, or writing stories? Focus on the feelings those activities gave you, not just the actions themselves. Those feelings are clues to what you might still love.

List What You Help Others With for Free

Look at what people regularly ask you to help them with—something you do effortlessly. If it’s also something you’ve noted on your Career Wave Line, you might be onto something that others value.

Reach Out to Your Inner Circle for Insights

Sometimes, those closest to you see your strengths more clearly than you do. They notice what makes you light up and can offer valuable insights.

• Call Your Best Friend: Ask them what topics or activities you seem most passionate about. What do they notice gets you excited? Often, the things that energize us are so natural we don’t even notice them.
• Seek External Validation with a Personality Test: Use tools like the 16 Personalities test, https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test Clifton Strengths, Disc, the Birkman, and Management Drives to gain additional insights into what makes you unique. These aren’t definitive answers, but they can open new avenues of thought. For example, you might find that your personality type thrives in coaching or creative roles.

Take a Break to Think Big Picture

Sometimes, you need to step away from the daily grind to see the bigger picture - to dream, plan and explore new ideas. If you have the means, take a break from your routine. It could be a couple of days, a week or longer. Use this time to explore your passions, meet new people, and immerse yourself in activities that make you feel alive. Research shows that 37% of people find a renewed sense of purpose during time away from their regular routines.