It can be so frustrating when people use a well-worn phrase and advise you to ‘just follow your passion’. Yes, sure, you would love to … if only you knew what your passion was.

Following your passion presupposes that you have one. But many people do not because …

You have too many options. You just desire things because others desire them. You find out what you do not want after you get what you thought you wanted.

You desire too many things at once. You desire things now. You want instant gratification.

Finding your passion suggests a passive process. Telling people to develop their passion, however, suggests an active one that depends on you.

If you already know what you want to do but you are afraid to pursue it, you do not have to quit all your responsibilities in life.

Do it on the side or free up time for it. Do it because that is what matters to you.

If you have not found your passion yet, you have not explored enough. To explore, you need courage. With courage, you try new things.

You are not afraid to look stupid or make mistakes. Keep playing with life and stop obsessing about passion.

Your passion is not out there, waiting to be discovered. It is not a mysterious force that will, when found, remove all obstacles from your path.

Your passion may be right in front of you. Many times, passion does not appear out of anywhere. It is something you are curious about or you already do.

Instead of looking for the magic bullet, that one thing you must be meant to do even though you do not know what it is yet, it can be more productive to perceive interests flexibly, as potentially endless.

A growth mindset, rather than a fixed sense that there is one interest you should pursue single-mindedly, improves the chances of finding your passion and having the will to master it.