Here’s an overly-simple formula to ensure a level of fulfillment in our lives:
Step 1: Find something we like to do that’s difficult
Step 2: Do it all the time
Step 3: Get better at it
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3
Be it an instrument, a sport, or a craft…having an activity we look forward to or something that challenges us is crucial—especially if it has nothing to do with our work.
When it comes to this, I’ve found that “Find your passion” is shitty advice.
Every now and then, someone finds something they are obsessed with immediately and that’s lovely. But for the other 99% of us, passions are developed…not found. They are grown like a plant, not discovered like pirate’s treasure.
In his book So Good They Can’t Ignore You, Cal Newport proves that the number one factor in how passionate a person is with something is their amount of experience/skill level in it.
We’ve all felt this. As we get better at something, we have more freedom to play around and do cooler shit, which tends to make us enjoy it more.
I’ve felt this with soccer, chess, tennis, jiujitsu, and writing.
Not that I’m particularly good at any of these things…but I have gotten better at them and have subsequently felt an increase in how much I enjoy doing them.
What do you like doing? What would you love to do consistently until you get pretty damn good at it?