Identify Your Passions

by Susanne Goldstein

One way to figure out what you want to do, and align that with what you're good at is to identify what passions drive you to get out of bed in the morning, what interests captivate your attention and what skills you have to offer. I call the place where these three overlapping circles intersect the Sweet Spot (see diagram). Your Sweet Spot can help you discover the essence of your brand, and is an essential component of differentiating yourself from other hungry job seekers.

* Ask the most creative person in your life to help you do the following brainstorming exercise to discover your Sweet Spot.
* Grab three sheets of paper and some colored pens. Title one page with Passions, another with Interests, and the third page with Skills.
* Fill in the pages using the definitions above, being as open-minded as you can be. Once finished, randomly select one item from each list and begin brainstorming interesting things that you could do with your life that would allow you to work at the place where your Passions, Interests and Skills intersect.
* Example: Passion - experiencing new things. Interest - learning about different cultures. Skill - writing. Brainstorm idea - Travel the world, experience new things and meet people of varying backgrounds. Write a professional travel blog or for a magazine.