originally posted in  www.creativecollide.com 10 August 2010

I have four mischeivious boys. They both delight me and scare the bejesus out of me. Its not the tantrums, or the horrendously dangerous adventures they seem to take themselves on, or the heights they push themselves too physically (and I'm talking in metres above the ground), its that they are involved in an education system that actively discourages creativity and finding your passion. I've come to the belief that it is finding your passion that is the key to a life of success.

I've read books, watched talks, and even had the pleasure of being involved in an interview with one of the great minds on this topic, Sir Ken Robinson. So I consider myself pretty well researched and feel comfortable yelling to the world that if you find your passion and actively seek time to enjoy that passion, you will be a whole bunch happier for it.

Many of those that find their passion early on credit their discovery to the open mindedness of a parent or teacher. For others it is trial and error, and for others they fall into it by mistake. For the unlucky they never find it. For some it is a single occupation and for others a combination.

So what the best way to find your passion? Here are just 3 ideas!

• Listen to the whole of yourself - what are the things, topics, interests that really push your buttons and make you keep coming back for more- maybe is your pet dog, maybe its doodling with a pencil, maybe its computer games, maybe it organising your sisters wedding - what ever it is listen for it and then explore what it is about that 'thing' that makes you tick so loudly.
• Play!! Give yourself permission to play then actively seek times to do so. When you play there are no expectations of success and no such thing as failure - you're just playing!! You're naturally drawn to play that pushes your buttons (and get your mind out of the gutter, I'm not talking those buttons this time!) and from there you can explore the possible passion.
• Trial and error - don't discount something until you've had a go! (unless that something is playing chicken with a train, or leaping for a perfectly good aeroplane without a chute!)

More than ever I believe my role as mother to four mischeivous boys is to help them on their journey to finding their passion. I do however have my fingers ever so slightly crossed that the drumming one of them is currently exploring will not end up being his passion, else I spend my days wearing ear muffs and avoiding the neighbours.

Other great resources on this topic

Sir Ken Robinson's book - 'The Element' is a great read. He uses the stories of with well known high achievers to demonstrate his theory.

He's given several great talks on the subject as well - on both www.ted.com (below) and www.creativemomentum.org .