This Is Why You Need A Passion Project (Research Proven)
Something unrelated to external motives—money, fame, power, recognition.
SELF-IMPROVEMENT
Passion. Unfortunately, only a rare few tap into and direct this potential. Most lives aren’t spent passionately. Enthusiastically. Zealously. With great devotedness for something. Something unrelated to external motives—money, fame, power, recognition. Something connected to the heart. Something meaningful and purposeful. People lack passionate pursuits. Jobs of love. Amorous duties. We can fix that.
A Life Worth Living?
In reality, most flounder their precious time and attention—two of the costliest commodities—doing something they aren’t aligned with. In exchange for their effort, their magical plastic rectangles become slightly more significant—significant enough to buy things. They then indulge in things they aren’t particularly fond of—dress to impress, food for mood, exercise to downsize, entertainment in self-containment. And this happens perpetually. Occupation? Hated. Free time? Ill-fated. Relationships? Complicated. Life? Desecrated.
Wake up. Have breakfast. Go to work. Get home. Maybe exercise, read, or watch a show. Dine. Head to bed. Repeat. Add details. Bland breakfast. Resented work. Intense home-life. Meaningless pastime. Dull dinner. Uncomfortable bed. Pounding head. Repeat. Not enough—add more spice. Annoying traffic. Foul weather. Displeased spouse. Irritating colleagues. Bastard boss. Weak body. Foggy mind. Repeat. Insufficient flavor. More! Low-paying job. Looming illness. Lack of direction. Occupational burnout. Chronic pain. Inflation rates. Non-existent social life. Sleep deprivation. Unachieved goals. Neglected family. Okay, stop. Look at what we created.
Just One Use Case
You may be wondering why. What? Having a passion project solves all of that? What a fucking doofus! As if anyone would believe that. I’m aware. Days start and end bad. Relationships are strained. The body and mind are exhausted. Their psychological, mental, and physical systems are sending signals—pain, moodiness, fatigue, brain fog, illness, burnout, insomnia. The sad part? A lot of people—like, millions—could read that and say they are doing worse. The world is a discouraging place.
Sick. Life sucks. Folks lead undesirable lives. Blah blah. You knew, know, and won’t forget that. Filling your overflowing, stressed out head with saddening garbage is not my aim. Just, when everything is looking down for you and you are sick, in the blues, underpaid, underappreciated, have no support, and the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t bright, passion may set you right. Passion endeavors are there to back you up. They give you a boost.
Normal Problems? Of Little Concern
Connect the dots. If having an endeavor to pour your heart into helps in the worst situations, how can it not in day-to-day mediocrity? Gloomy Mondays. Loud chatter. Provoking coworkers. Unappetizing meals. Aside from the countless other benefits, having a heart’s vocation gives you a cushion for the ups and downs. The weekly ebbs and flows. The monthly, quarterly, and yearly floods. Because the worst experiences are those we don’t express. Passion-driven ventures work in direct opposition—as channels of self-actualization and expression.
Prior to diving into the psychological significance we ought to put a finger on what they are. Is painting, writing, or sculpting a passion project? Not necessarily. Can software development, graphic design, or gardening be a passion project? Sure. Read the following twice. Personal endeavors driven by intrinsic motivation—purpose, mastery, curiosity, pride—rather than external reward. Several studies and theories support the idea that they provide benefits for cognition, emotion, and social satisfaction. You know they do. Intuitively.
What The Psychos—Sorry, Psychologists—Think
Psychology—self-determination theory (SDT) in particular—outlines that humans are motivated by three core needs: (1) autonomy (self-government, being able to choose); (2) competence (having sufficient skill, knowledge, judgment, or strength); and (3) relatedness (feeling secure and connected with those around). Guess what? Passion projects tick all three. Autonomy, because you choose what and where to work on. Competence, because you get to master skills. Relatedness, because you sense a connection to a cause. Motivation? Off the charts. Happiness? Increased.
By definition, passion projects are aligned with personal interests and states. This means entering flow and being fully immersed is much more likely. Flow has myriad upsides of it’s own: productivity, creativity, and life satisfaction. Plus, the expressive nature of a passion project means it acts as an emotional outlet. A buffer against stress and negative emotion. A full-fletched enhancer. Can’t put it any other way.
Lurking Below Your Skull Is…
What happens in the mind is cool. What happens in the brain is even cooler. Motivation is high. This points us to the reward circuitry. The dopaminergic regions. Dopamine—the learning and motivation chemical—is released when people engage in activities they are passionate about. Granted these are challenging and meaningful tasks, the prefrontal cortex gets plenty of activation too. In human speak, you become a superior problem-solver, decision-maker, planner, and self-regulator.
Sold on passion projects? Hope so. Every neurological and psychological box is ticked. Almost forgot to mention. They’re just fun. If you aren’t doing it for the benefit, do it for gratification. Following are some examples which meet the criteria. Writing a book (fiction, non-fiction, memoir). Starting a blog. Building a personal website. Volunteering for a social cause. Learning a musical instrument. Developing an app. Creating a YouTube channel. Launching a business. Participating in a local or community project. Podcasting. Designing a board game. Gardening and/or urban farming.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, it’s well-advised to have an intrinsically motivated endeavor. They are essential for holistic personal growth, contributing to emotional resilience, cognitive engagement, and a sense of purpose. There is definitely something out there for you. Find it. Engage with it. Invest into it. Enjoy it. “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion…” said T. D. Jakes, “For your passion will lead you right into your purpose.”