At the end of my seminar last week one of the attendees had a question.

He asked, “If you’ve been doing something for so long, How do you keep your passion for it?”

At the time I said that you can’t allow yourself to be caught in the false security of a comfort zone.

I told him that we have to continue to challenge and stretch ourselves to do things we haven’t done before. Otherwise things just become routine and it no longer commands our attention the way they used to.

At the time I was satisfied with the answer I gave. But over the last few days I’ve taken some time to really contemplate his question.

Please keep reading for a more thoughtful answer to ‘How do you keep your passion?’.

1. Do you experiment and explore new possibilities? Some people lose passion because they never try anything new. They’ll dream about something different and wish it would happen. But, you must take a chance on yourself and do something!

2. Is your attitude the source of the problem? Way too often we blame other people for our issues. I once heard someone say that when you point the finger at someone else you have three pointing back at you. If a great attitude can be infectious, a bad attitude can be a plague. A negative attitude can suck the life out of you and everyone in your vicinity.

3. Are your expectations too low? Always remember that your manifestations are driven by your expectations. Isn’t it amazing how we usually get what we expect? We have to start raising our standards in order to have more passionate lives and careers.

4. Are non-work related issues the problem? Things like not exercising, eating poorly, and not getting enough sleep can make any job a drag. Start making adjustments in this area and you’ll notice an immediate change in your energy level.

5. Are you in the wrong profession, job, or major? Sometimes we need to find new work. Or maybe we need to get away from our current coworkers or supervisors. There is a such thing as a bad fit.

6. Are you just in a funk right now? We all have times when we just don’t feel good. Sometimes we need a break to recharge our batteries. I’ve found that when I get back to speaking or writing after resting for a while, I’m more enthusiastic. Remember we’re all artists in some way. Creative people need time off in order to regain strength and momentum.

7. Do you take time to reflect on your successses? I remember the first time someone came up to me after a talk or wrote me to tell me how something I said touched their life. I used the energy that they gave me and ran with it. It galvanized my work and confirmed that I was doing the right thing. Never forget what inspired you in the first place.