CareerPrints with Caryn Reddick

Following your passion is only possible if you know what your passion is. For many people, it can be harder to find their passion than it is to live it. Great questions can make the process easier.

So, below is a list of 50 questions you can use to unearth your passion. Some of them can help you discover what you love and others just help you clarify what is not your best path. You probably won’t want to go through all of them at once… just scan the list and pick a few that seem interesting.

As you consider them, don’t think about what seems practical – just answer with the first thing that pops into your mind. Write down your answers quickly so you aren’t tempted to censor or reconsider. And if you really want to dive deep, follow them with my favorite simple question: WHY?

Here’s the list… in no particular order:

1. What activities cause you to lose track of time?
2. What are you good at?
3. What books do you read?
4. What movies do you enjoy?
5. What songs do you enjoy?
6. What television shows do you enjoy?
7. What would you do, right now, if you could do anything?
8. Why do people ask for your advice? About what?
9. What do you dream of doing when you are bored or overburdened?
10. What did you love to do as a kid?
11. What were you good at as a kid? (If you don’t remember, ask your parents)
12. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
13. What do you secretly wish your kids would do when they grow up?
14. What did your teachers say about you?
15. What do you look forward to doing?
16. What are you disappointed to miss?
17. What were you doing the last time you laughed hard?
18. What were you doing the last time you cried?
19. What was the last comment that hurt your feelings?
20. What was the last compliment you received?
21. What are you grateful for?
22. What types of awards did you win as a kid?
23. What subjects did you enjoy in high school or college?
24. What insult hurts you the most?
25. What compliment do you most love to hear?
26. What was going on in your life when you felt the healthiest?
27. What was going on in your life when you felt sick?
28. When do you have the least energy?
29. When do you have the most energy?
30. What types of information do you forget most often?
31. What types of information do you remember most easily?
32. What activities cause you to make a lot of mistakes?
33. What types of people or activities make you feel smart?
34. What types of people or activities make you feel stupid?
35. When do you feel the most playful?
36. What activities make you feel fuzzy?
37. What types of people or activities make you angry?
38. What do people always say about you?
39. What do you get defensive about?
40. What were you doing the last time you needed a nap?
41. What was going on the last time you could not sleep?
42. What do you like to do on vacation?
43. What was going on in your life the last time you gained or lost a lot of weight?
44. What makes you want to drink alcohol or consume caffeine?
45. When do you feel most like yourself?
46. When do you feel least like yourself?
47. If you had 1 billion dollars, what would you do right now?
48. What would you do if you didn’t care what anyone else thought?
49. What would you do if you were sure you would succeed?
50. What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about the future?

Which were your favorites? What questions did I leave off the list? Let me know…